


Just For You (Years 3-5)

by aedxx17



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:47:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 28,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29564916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aedxx17/pseuds/aedxx17
Summary: "but i guess that's what happens when you love someone. you ignore all the signs saying you should run"[TW] will make u like menthird year: chapters 1-20fourth year: chapters 21- 65(beginning of) fifth year: chapters 66- 71
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

"okay byee mum!" i say once again. It's my third year at Hogwarts, and she still makes a big show of saying goodbye.

"write to me if you need anything sweetheart" my mum places her hand on my cheek, giving me a worried look. i allow myself to smile for a second before swatting her away.

"i know i know.." i mutter as i shrug her off. "i better be getting on the train now"

my mum sighs as i give her one last hug before hopping onto the express, dragging my carriage behind me. by the time i was able to leave my mum, i'm practically the last person onto the train.. except some first years who are still on the platform embracing their families. i scoff, annoyed that i can't seem to find a compartment with any room.

"y/l/n!" i turn around quickly at the sound of a familiar voice. draco. i sigh. "quite the goodbye she gave you this year" he sneers as he walks toward me in the corridor.

"i didn't see your parents making an appearance... yet again" i smirk as his sneer falters, "but hey, maybe our fourth year you'll have some luck". he clears his throat softly, quickly returning his face back to an ugly grin, trying not to admit that i know his weakness.

"do you have a place to sit?" he say while he leans forward against my carriage of bags.

i shake my head, pushing the cart towards him so he backs away "if that's an offer for me to come back to your compartment with you, i'll have to decline, malfoy"

"alright" he shrugs "but don't come crawling back when you're stuck with all the first years crying over their mums" he turns on his heels and walks away, entering a compartment a few doors down. i shake my head at him and continue down the corridor, soon finding a compartment with some other third years. i squeeze into their spare seat for the remainder of your journey.

__________________________

upon arrival, i'm able to find some of my friends to sit down with while the first years get sorted. i cheer loudly with the rest of my friends every time the frail old hat hollers "slytherin!!"

after all that i go up to the dormitory to unpack, seeing that Pansy has already made her way to the room. great, i think to myself, another year with this psycho.

"hello y/n" pansy smiles, but i know it's not genuine.. that girl never is.

"hi pansy" i say without looking up from my bag

"how was your summer?" i look back up at her in surprise, not thinking she would have continued a conversation.

"oh um.. it was good! thanks for asking" i pause, taken aback by her interaction, "how about-"

she cuts me off abruptly "i saw you talking to malfoy on the train"

i raise my eyebrows, not this again, "he just said hi, that's all"

"he looks a lot different than last year" she smirks a little as i nod in agreement. he really has grown into himself. he's much taller now, and his platinum blonde hair parts down the middle, framing his now thinned out face. "i bet you he's got a girl by christmas break" pansy plops down onto her bed, twirling her wand between her fingers.

"he's too big a twat for any girl to stay with him for long" i smirk. pansy laughs and i laugh along too. maybe this year won't be as bad as i thought.

__________________________

i'm sitting by the fire in the common room, chatting with blaise and pansy about their breaks. it's the same shallow stories i hear every year. glamorous vacations or stays in the manor with the family. blah blah blah. although i'm pure-blood like a lot of the other slytherins, my family isn't near as wealthy. i always get a little jealous as they brag about their homes, or where they've stayed, but i hide my envy pretty well in order to fit in.

"well i'm off then" blaise yawns. i had completely zoned out, not hearing the end of his trip across the globe story.

"i'm gonna knock out too" pansy stands and looks back at me, as blaise continues to walk away towards the boys dormitories, "you coming?" she asks.

"i'm gonna read a little, write something to my mum too" she smiles and nods, turning away and walking upstairs to the dorms. i sigh and look down at the table, grabbing out a paper and quil to write down how the first day was, knowing i would probably receive a letter from mum tomorrow asking. after i finish writing, i seal my note and tuck it into my book so i can remember to send my owl out with it tomorrow. for now, i curl up on the couch and begin reading. after a few minutes, i can hear footsteps behind me. afraid that it could be someone patrolling, since it's nearing curfew, i stand and spin around, pointing my wand toward the noise.

"oi!" a voice whispers, "no need for that, it's just me" the figure steps forward into the light of the fire, and i lower my arm as i recognize it as draco. "what're you doing up?"

"i could say the same to you" i turn my back to him as i sit back down on the couch.

"are you going to be like this the whole year" he sighs, walking around to sit next to me. uncomfortable with the contact, i shuffle closer to the arm of the couch to keep my distance. i stay silent, reopening my book and ignoring draco. "how was your summer?" he questions me further. i can feel his eyes on me as he speaks.

"wouldn't you like to know" i scowl into the pages of my book, trying not to give him the satisfaction of my attention.

"yes, yes i would" he says, matter of factly

"then why didn't you write?" i shut my book loudly in frustration, now turning to face him. looking up into his eyes i almost think i see guilt, but it quickly flashes away when he opens his mouth.

"i got busy" he pushes his hair back, now avoiding my gaze.

"lame excuse malfoy" i laugh. he looks back at me and rolls his eyes. i consider him for a moment, seeing him twiddling his thumbs anxiously. i had become friends with draco last year, after hating him for all of my first and most of my second year. i saw a different side of him when we got stuck in detention together for the last two months of school. he had a side with actual emotions and feelings. i know he has a tough home life, so i try and cut him some slack for not writing over the summer, although i was hurt by it. i shuffle back closer to him and he smirks, "you'll have to do better then that"

"sorry i didn't write, y/n" he stretches his arms across the back of the couch, causing me to shiver a little as the warmth radiates from his arm behind me.

"you'll have to make it up to me somehow" i stand up, grabbing my things.

"leaving already?" he pouts his lip, exaggerating his frown.

"we have classes tomorrow, it's almost curfew, you should get some sleep too" i say firmly, slinging my bag over my shoulder. he scoffs, but stands up as well. we stand awkwardly for a moment, before saying a quick goodbye and heading our separate ways. i change into pajamas quietly and slip into bed, a smile on my face as i think of reconciling with draco.

__________________________


	2. Chapter 2

i wake up bright and early the next morning, excited to start the first day of classes. i change into my robes and grin, it feels like home. whilst grabbing my books, i tuck my wand into my robe, stopping only to send my owl out with the letter to mum, before leaving the dormitory and heading to the great hall.

i peer down the slytherin table, trying to see if anyone i'm friendly with is already downstairs. at the end of the table i can see draco and goyle laughing loudly as they enjoy their breakfast. i look around a little longer, trying to find anyone else to sit with. the boys can be quite annoying. after scanning for a moment, however, i give in and walk over to them.

"hello y/n" goyle says to me as i sit down across from him.

"hi goyle" i smile as i place my things under the bench, grabbing some food and looking up at draco. he's looking down at his plate, "draco?"

"hm?" he looks up, "oh, hi y/n" he immediately looks back down and i roll my eyes. well, him trying to be nice to me was short lived. i eat with the guys for a little before pansy and the others from my dorm join us.

"i better be going, i have divination first and it takes forever to get there" i say as i begin to stand and gather my things in my bad.

"divination?" i hear blaise say, "draco don't you have divination first?" i look up to see him smirking in draco's direction. i stop gathering my things to look at draco as well.

draco clears his throat and fumbles, dropping his fork onto his plate "yes, yes it looks like i do"

"you outta walk with y/n to class don't you think?" goyle chimes in, him and blaise both nudging draco. i gulp a little, this is awfully awkward.

"she's got two legs, she can walk herself" he continues looking down at his food with his signature scowl. i hear pansy laugh to herself, rolling her eyes along with the rest of the girls at the table.

"what a gentleman" i mumble, finally picking up my bag, turning on my heels and exiting the great hall

__________________________

dracos pov

"now was that really necessary draco?" pansy smirks at me from across the table

"what?" i chuckle a little as i begin to pack up my bag, having cleared my breakfast plate

"first you don't write to her all summer, and now this?" pansy rolls her eyes, "she was right, you really are a twat" she scoffs and looks away from me, going to pack up her things.

"she called me a twat?" i say, looking up at pansy and she stands to walk away.

she looks back at my quietly and smiles, "if you walk with me i'll tell you"

"whatever" i shake my head, grabbing my bag violently and getting up, pansy smirks in victory as walk around the end of the table to join her. she links her arm in mine and begins to drag me towards the exit. what have i gotten myself into

__________________________

your pov

i can hear footsteps behind me as i ascend the stairs of the north tower to the divination classroom. pausing, i turn and see draco following a flight beneath me

"you're really that stubborn to leave minutes after me instead of just walking with me?"

"i wasn't done eating" he smirks, hurrying his pace to catch up with me

"i would have waited for you" i cross my arms as he reaches the step i'm on, slightly out of breath.

he smiles a little "next time" i roll my eyes and we continue walking up the last sets of stair together, "you know, y/l/n, you're hair doesn't look completely awful today" i glare over at him, taking a deep breath, "yeah- i kinda like the half brushed look you have going on-"

"will you leave me alone, malfoy"

"and why would i do that?" he smirks

"look, you can't just not write all summer and then come back pretending we're the closest of friends" i stop on the step, turning to face him, "we weren't even that close before-"

"if we weren't that close, then why do you care about me not writing?" his smirks widens as he raises an eyebrow, tilting his head before continuing on up the stairs without me

after divination draco walks with me to my next class, muggle studies.

"i can't believe you're voluntarily learning about this crap" he scoffs, taking my textbook out of my hands and flipping through the pages as we walk towards my class

"it's interesting!" i grab the book back from him, "sorry you're too stuck up to see that" he chuckles a little and shakes his head.

pretty soon we've reached the door to my classroom, but as i go to walk in, draco stops me.

"will i be seeing you again today?" he smiles a little. it feels odd to see him actually smile rather than a snide smirk

"depends. i have potions next and then herbology and care of magical creatures after lunch"

he nods, "see you in potions, love" he smirks and turns away from me. i roll my eyes at him, but can't seem to stop a smile from creeping onto my lips as i walk into class.

__________________________

potions is widely uneventful. crabbe and goyle are in that class so draco sat with them rather than me. i sat with a girl i know from hufflepuff, despite it being frowned upon. the other slytherins i know in the class i'm not very fond of.

after class i head to herbology, eat lunch, and then endure my final two classes of the day. i have care of magical creatures with draco as well.

we're walking down into the woods, following the rest of the class as everyone tries to guess what Hagrid is going to show us.

"whatever it is, i guarantee it's something stupid" draco snickers and the other slytherin boys join in. i just shake my head disapprovingly.

"right, you lot. less chattering" hagrid turns back to face us students, "form a group over there" he gestures towards a tree and we obey, already beginning to chat again, "and open your books to page 49"

"exactly how do we do that?" draco spits back at him while examining his book. all of our books are bound up by a belt like strap, and have eyes.. along with a mouth bearing mighty sharp teeth. hagrid tells us to stroke the spine, and we all do so. well.. except neville. to my dismay i look over to hear his screams as his book bites at him.

"don't be such a wimp, longbottom" draco shouts at him. i hit him in the shoulder, "oi!" draco yelps. i give him a disapproving glare and he rolls his eyes, leaving neville alone for the time being.

i begin talking to crabbe about what we learned in potions, but am quickly distracted by draco starting up a fight, as usual.

"terribly funny!" he says to hermione, "really witty! god this place has gone to the dogs" he snarls as he talks. i wish he didn't have to be so rude all of the time, "wait until my father hears that Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes!"

crabbe turns away from me to back up draco. i sigh in embarrassment, i cant believe these are the people i'm friends with sometimes. i truly question my placement in slytherin everytime draco opens his mouth, i like to think i'm nowhere as evil as he his. the boys all laugh along with draco though, egging him on.

"shut up malfoy," harry turns, walking towards draco. there's no way that will lead to anything good.

the boys laugh at each other as draco hands his bag to crabbe, sauntering towards harry. his pure arrogance astounds me. soon, however, draco staggers back, pointing towards the sky, "dementor! dementor!" he yells, earning laughs from all of the slytherins.

harry's face practically turns white as he turns back towards the sky, where no dementor is to be seen. as draco walks back towards us i scowl at him, earning a glare back. they torment harry for a moment longer before hagrid clears his throat, gaining our attention back to class.

"there was no need for that, draco" i whisper to him as crabbe moves forward, making me next to malfoy now. he only shrugs and moves past me, joining the rest of the class. we all stare in awe at the creature hagrid has before us, a hippogriff named buckbeak. he teaches us how to properly approach one, harry is the first to try. he does excellently, no surprise there. harry's the golden boy of hogwarts, that's why draco torments him so. it's all envy.

i stop paying attention only for a moment, chatting with daphne greengrass about how impressive harry's flight was, but by the time i look back i see draco strutting up towards buckbeak, rather quickly.

"draco don't!" i shout in protest

he looks back at me for a moment, and then back at buckbeak, "you're not dangerous at all, are you," he bolsters, pushing two students aside and continuing towards the creature.

i place my head in my hand, this kid is unbelievable. the second draco reaches the animal, he rears his talons, no surprise, and scratches draco along the arm. i gasp at first, but then quickly dissolve into quiet laughter with daphne, draco had it coming. he whines an awful lot as hagrid carries him to the infirmary, honestly i only feel a drop of remorse.

__________________________

after dinner we hang around in the great hall for a bit, all studying at our table. i try my best to tune out the others, all giving draco far too much attention.

"does it hurt terribly, draco?" pansy frowns, leaning right up against draco and touching his arm, now in a sling

"it comes and it goes" he shrugs, "still, i consider myself lucky. according to madam pomfrey, another minute or two, and i, uh, could've lost my arm" he stutters through the last part, completely exaggerating what was told to him in the infirmary. i just roll my eyes and keep quiet.

"that's awful!" pansy gasps. i try and hold back a laugh, looking over at daphne in hopes of agreeing how absurd this is.. but she is looking at draco in awe as well.

"i can't possibly do homework for weeks!" draco exclaims

i sigh, finally deciding to chime in, "you're being awfully dramatic, malfoy" he glares up at me, "it was only small scratch, you'll be healed in no time" i stand and stuff my books into my bag, having heard enough of draco's nonsense for one day. the other girls may fawn over him 24/7, but i for one am not going to play along with his version of reality.

i'm about to leave the great hall when i hear seamus running in with the latest newspaper. the gryffindors all gather round him as he shouts that sirius black has been sighted in a town nearby. i can only hear parts of the conversation over draco's boasting, but it's enough for me to be nervous. i mean.. a criminal? the first to ever escape for azkaban so close to our home... it's enough to give anyone a fright.

i shudder at the thought of it before slinging my bag over my shoulder, saying goodbye to everyone and heading to the common room.

__________________________

i sit with some fourth years in the common room for awhile, they're all making fun of draco showing off his cast at dinner as well. i walk back into the dorm, still laughing at the thought of him showing off a scratch like it's some grand battle scar as i throw down my things on top of my chest and lay down onto the bed. i reach under my bed for the book i was reading last night, but as much as my fingers search i can't seem to find it. i stand up and scan the room, then seeing that the book is on my chest, under the bag i just threw down. in confusion, i pick up the book, opening to where i had marked my last page. as i open the book a folded piece of paper falls to the ground, which i quickly kneel down to collect.

i sit down on the edge of my bed and unfold it, reading the neat handwriting

our spot. 23:00. don't be late.

-d.m.

__________________________


	3. Chapter 3

i tiptoe through the corridors, staying tight against the walls in case someone were to come around the corner... it's almost an hour past curfew. just in case, i stuffed a bag of cat treats into my pajama pants pocket, preparing to say my cat ran out of my room and i'm searching for him (even though in reality, i don't have a cat. i stole the treats from my roommate, but saying i was searching for my owl would be idiotic). i peer around the corner to make sure no one is in the next hall before i continue on. i shuffle quickly down the last stretch of hall before entering the library, shutting the door behind me softly.

this was the worst place he could have picked, someone's always patrolling the library. but i know this must've been the spot he meant, back left corner behind the astronomy books. it's where we would always study for that class before we went to detention together. i duck behind a shelf and let out a sigh, getting here was stressful enough, thinking about our days in detention doesn't make it any better.

and even though i'm horrified of being caught, i'm even more curious to hear what he has to say.

i straighten myself out and tuck my hair behind my ears, trying to check my reflection in the window before i would make my way back to our spot-

"trying to look nice for me, y/l/n?"

i gasp at the sudden voice from behind me, gripping my chest and spinning quickly around, only to see draco smirking at me.

"don't sneak up on me like that!" i roll my eyes at him, hissing at him through my teeth, "you know how easy it is to get caught here?"

"that's part of the fun" his grin widens as he walks closer to me, taking my arm in his and pulling me towards our study spot in the back. i notice he drags me behind him that he's brought his book bag along with him, quite odd.

we reach the couches in the back and sit down next to each other. draco reaches down and pulls his bag onto the couch next to him, beginning to dig through it.

"sooo.." i rock back and forth anxiously, continuously checking for anyone else in the library, "why did you make me come down here?'

"i" draco laughs, "didn't make you do anything" he smirks, taking his gaze away from his bag for a second to look at me, "it was your choice to actually show"

i roll my eyes and scoff, he's so arrogant. i lean against my knees, placing my head between my hands.

"ah here it is!" i hear draco exclaim. i look back at him to see him pulling out.. a book?

i look at him, confused, and he quickly explains, "well i noticed you were quite shit in potions today. i thought i would offer my help"

i raise my eyebrows, "you brought me all the way down here just to insult me?" i stand up from the couch, "no way malfoy-"

his hand wraps around my wrist, drawing me back toward the couch, "there was.. another thing"

"oh really?" i straighten up and look at him, "and what's that?" i pull my arm away from him, crossing my arms as his cheeks flush, a phenomenon i've never seen on draco

draco clears his throat a little, opening his palm slowly, "i- i got this over the summer. my mother actually planned a trip outside of the manor and... well," his palms fully opens, revealing a small necklace with a charm of saturn on it, "i know it's not much but it.. reminded me of you? you know? because of our little study sessions back here. and i wanted to give it to you in person and every time i went to write to you i would end up spoiling the surprise... and couldn't send the letter so- "

i feel smile emerge on my face, not being able to find the words to thank him. is this draco being... nice?

"stop talking" i decide to put him out of his misery, as i think he would've rambled on for ages if i didn't speak soon. i reach out my hand and slowly take the necklace out of his, looking at it closer. it's actually quite detailed, with little flecks of color across the silver charm.

"draco i-" i start to say

"if you don't like it i can give it to my mother-"

"no no no!" i smile wider, taking my eyes off of the necklace to look at him. i've never seen him look this anxious, "i like it. i like it quite a lot, draco" i can see his worry melt away, and a small smile appears on his face. "thank you for thinking of me" i smile back as i unclasp the necklace, wrapping it around my neck and clasping it again in the back. its hangs at the perfect length, and i smile a little wider, "and i forgive you... for not writing"

he smiles for a second, before turning away, "well we should study" he says, abruptly ending the nice moment, "it's only day one and you're already behind in class" he shakes his head, looking back at the book and beginning to rattle off a million details about the potion at once. i sit back down next to him, although i can barely focus on what he's saying as i twirl the necklace charm between my fingers.

"are you even paying attention to me? i didn't come here to waste my time" draco scowls, looking back at me. swiftly, i drop the necklace from my fingers and lean forward.

"yeah, yeah i'm listening"

we spend the next half hour studying before packing up, beginning our silent journey towards the dungeons where our dormitories reside. once we're safely back within the common room, i turn back to draco.

"thank you again," i lift the necklace, "for the gift"

"eh don't mention it" he shrugs, "don't want you to think i fancy you or anything." i chuckle a little as he walks past you, going towards the boys dormitories

"would it be such a horrid thing to fancy me?" i raise my eyebrows

he looks back at me for a moment, looking like he might say something, but then continues back towards the dorms "have a nice night y/n" he says without turning back to me again

"you as well malfoy" i bite the inside of my cheek, hoping i didn't take the joke to far.

i still smile a little to myself as he disappears down the corridor and i head up to the girls dorms, hiding the necklace under my shirt in case anyone was awake, not that i think anyone would be able to make the connection but... better safe than sorry. luckily everyone is fast asleep, and i'm able to climb into bed with no trouble. soon, i'm fast asleep, ready for what the next day has in store.

__________________________


	4. Chapter 4

"what were you doing up so late?" pansy questions me from across the table at breakfast. she's been all over draco all morning, laughing at all of his horrible jokes and pressing herself against his arm. it's painful to watch.

"hm?" i furrow my brow, trying to buy time to think of a lie

"i heard you come back to the dorm... must've been past midnight" she raises her eyebrow, taking her fork taking a bite off of draco's plate.

"bug off pansy" he shrugs slightly, forcing her hand off of his arm, "steal food from someone else" he mumbles, moving his plate farther from her.

i laugh at draco before answering pansy, "i just got up to use the bathroom" i look up at her and see her nod, satisfied with my answer.

i finish breakfast and then leave with pansy for our first class of the day, charms.

__________________________

"doesn't draco look smashing today" pansy whispers to me in class

"i guess" i shrug, trying to focus on the lesson.

"i could just-"

"parkinson!" professor flitwick looks towards our table, "are you with us?"

pansy's cheeks flush red, "yes, sorry professor"

i chuckle to myself as pansy hits me in the arm, only making me laugh harder. i stifle my laugh as professor flitwick looks back over at us, and we both apologize quickly, only giggling to ourselves a little while longer once his back turns away. fortunately, i'm able to continue on with class uninterrupted by pansy's comments about draco.

unfortunately, however, she talks about his encounter with buckbeak the entire way to my next class. the girl practically worships the ground he walks on, and i can't seem to figure out why. i leave pansy at her transfiguration class, and i head on to defense against the dark arts. we have a new teacher this year, i feel as though we always do. i stand to the side with draco as we all stare towards a mirrored cabinet, trying to decipher what this class has in store.

"intriguing, isn't it?" professor lupin says as the cabinet shakes, "would anyone like to venture a guess as to what is inside?"

"that's a boggart, that is" dean thomas says from the front of class. i know he's correct, i had read about these creatures before. they shapeshift to be your worst fear. sure enough, hermione rattles that answer off when professor asks. we all recite the spell riddikulus with professor lupin, as he says that's how to repel a boggart.

"riddikulus!" we all say one last time, in unison.

"this class is ridiculous" draco mutters, and i can't help but laugh a little.

we go through only four people's fears before class is dismissed, rather suddenly after harry goes. i walk out with draco and he snickers, "did you see harry's? little twat is horrified of those dementors"

"you really mustn't be so cruel to him, draco" i elbow him and he winces slightly, grabbing at his casted arm

"prick deserves it" he mumbles

"seriously? the only thing he's done is get better marks than you in class" i smirk at him, "it's not harry's fault you can't handle not being the best"

draco's mouth opens and closes, not being able to find the words. i don't think anyone's ever stood up to him before, "that's not true!!" he whines, shoving me slightly towards the wall.

i laugh and shake my head, "i believe you once you have an actually reason for being rude to him" draco avoids my gaze, which i take as him admitting i'm right. i allow us to move past the subject and we begin to chat about other things, before heading our separate ways to classes.

__________________________

after lunch i have class with draco again, divination. he immediately comes and sits with me this time, seeing as none of his goons are in this course. we spend the beginning of class listening, but soon are whispering about our own things, professor trelawney doesn't pay much attention to us anyways.

"it took some convincing, but i got my mum to sign the slip" i smile, pulling the hogsmeade permission slip out of my bag to show draco "she's gone absolutely mad worrying about sirius black"

"you actually showed it to your mum?" draco laughs, pulling out his slip, "what a goody-two shoes. i used a spell to forge it" he smirks, proud of himself.

"are you not worried they'll find out?"

"there's no way mcgonagall's going to question it" he shrugs, "besides if they do i can find a way to sneak out"

i look back up at our professor, realizing we haven't been listening for the past ten minutes. i try to tune in but at this point, i've missed to much... i'll have to ask daphne about it after class, "one of these days you're going to get yourself in massive trouble, malfoy"

he chuckles a little, "and i'll make sure you're right by my side when i do"

i roll my eyes at him and he smirks back. we both try and focus for the rest of class, although it is difficult to focus when professor trelawney is always off topic.

__________________________

"and then lupin had to jump in front of him because potter couldn't do the spell himself!" draco laughs as he recounts the events of class to our friend group in the common room. i'm sitting on the floor across from the couch he sits on, looking over my notes from today's classes.

"you're talking and awful lot of shit for someone who didn't even have to face their fear"

"yeah.. well neither did you!" draco retorts, crossing his arms and leaning back on the couch

"nice comeback, malfoy" i scoff, shutting my books and leaning back against the chair behind me, where blaise is sitting. i see draco's scowl deepen, his eyes flickering between blaise and i.

"whatever" he mumbles, turning to pansy on the couch and beginning to talk to her about her plans for the hogsmeade trip. the second he turns to her, her eyes widen and a smile comes across her face, excited to talk to him.

blaise taps me on the shoulder and i look back at him, "what are you planning to do in hogsmeade?"

"well draco and i had talked about going to honeydukes... and then i'm going to look for a gift for my mum. her birthday's coming up" blaise nods, telling me about his plans. i can't help but feel draco's eyes on us every now and then.. he doesn't really seem to be listening to pansy.

after awhile it's time for all of us to head back to the dorms for bed. blaise stands and steps over me, saying goodbye to everyone as he walks to the boys dorm with crabbe and goyle.

"ready, pansy?" i sigh, trying to get her to come up to the dorm with me and daphne. i hate the idea of leaving her alone with draco.

"i'm just going to stay here awhile longer" she smiles, making eye contact with me that i know means get out of here.

i nod, "okay... well you have 10 minutes til curfew, be careful" pansy smiles and nods, "bye draco" i say, getting him to turn back and look at me

"bye" he says curtly, only giving me a short glance before turning back to pansy. i can't help but feel a tinge of jealousy as i walk to the dorm with daphne, hearing draco and pansy talking behind us.

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	5. Chapter 5

i storm into the great hall during breakfast the next week, furiously looking around for draco. i spot him at the far end of the slytherin table, laughing loudly with all of the boys. i scowl and walk quickly towards him. when he sees me coming his face goes blank, and slowly the other boys turn to me and stop laughing as well.

"draco may i speak to you for a moment?" i say loudly, not caring that the neighboring tables are beginning to look over.

"uh-"

"i'll take that as a yes" i pull out the daily prophet from my bag, slamming it down on the table in front of him and leaning forward, glaring at him, "would you like to explain this?" i point to the article reading "Hippogriff on Hogwarts Grounds to be Executed Monday"

"what?" draco shrugs, "the animal's getting what it deserves"

"you can't seriously think that draco!" i throw up my arms in frustration, my voice rising

"y/n calm down it's not that big-" crabbe starts to say

"calm down?" i cross my arms, glaring at him now, "how am i supposed to calm down when he" i point my arm at draco, "is lying about the severity of the situation... putting a teacher's job in danger and an innocent animal's life at risk."

"the animal isn't innocent!" draco cries, standing up from his seat and facing me

"you may not remember, malfoy" i turn back to him, placing my hands firmly on the table and staring straight into his eyes, "but i was there when it happened. you provoked buckbeak and he gave you what you deserved for being an arrogant, stuck-up prick." i hiss at him. i see his face go blank for a moment before he clears his throat.

"well there's nothing you can do about it. my father contacted the ministry. it's final" he leans back and cross his arms smugly.

"we'll see about that" i scowl at him before turning away to leave. when i turn, i see the other houses staring at us, "did you all enjoy the show?" i yell, picking up the paper and storming back out of the hall.

__________________________

"y/n wait up!" i hear a girls voice from behind me as i'm about to turn the corners towards dumbledore's office. i look over my shoulder to see ron, harry, and hermione jogging after me.

"what you did in there was incredible!" hermione laughs

"yeah well draco deserves it" i smile a little, glad i didn't make a complete fool of myself. i clear my throat, "i'm heading to go tell dumbledore that draco's full of it.. you know tell him what i saw during class... you all should come as well"

"we already tried" ron says, "he said there's nothing he can do."

"then i'll have him call the minister himself and i'll talk to him" i exclaim, turning away and continuing down the hall. i hear them speed up behind me, joining me in the hall and walking with me.

"you would really do that?" harry asks.

"of course" i nod, "i don't care about covering for draco just because he's in my house. he's in the wrong and i'm not afraid to stand up to him"

"you might regret that later" ron laughs a little

i sigh, "no... draco wouldn't hurt me" i look down at the necklace he gave me, resting against the sweater material of my uniform. i take a deep breath, "at least, i don't think he would"

the others go silent for the rest of the walk to dumbledore's. i'm glad they came with me, because i wouldn't have been able to get in without harry. he knew the password.

"lemon sherbert" harry says, and the doors spin to reveal a spiral staircase, which we all sprint up rather quickly.

__________________________

"ah miss y/l/n" dumbledore's voice says as we enter into the office. i've never been in here.. it's quite the impressive sight. i scan to see where the voice is coming from, and only notice as he turns around in his chair to face me, "i've been expecting a visit from you"

"y-you have?" i stutter, looking back at the trio behind me. they nod, encouraging me to move closer, "i... i came here to ask you about buckbeak"

"yes..." dumbledore stands, walking toward me.

"well.." i take a deep breath, straightening out and looking at dumbledore, "i was in class with draco that day, as were many others. he clearly provoked buckbeak and that's what caused him to lash out. besides, the wound is minor, nowhere near as bad as draco is making it out to be. i don't believe it warrants an execution" i let out all at once, sighing afterwords.

dumbledore nods, considering what i've just said, "are you friends with mr. malfoy?"

i furrow my brow, "i mean- i guess so? i don't see why that's important i-"

"oh miss y/l/n" dumbledore shakes his head, "this.. this is very important" you look back at the other three, but they look just as confused as you. "what we need is for draco's father to drop the charges. the ministry has already ruled in their favor... however many witnesses come forward, they simply will not change their stance" dumbledore begins to pace, "but, if you were to convince draco to get his father to drop the charges... then all would be absolved"

"i don't know if even i could manage it" i rock back and forth on my heels nervously, "he's probably the most stubborn person i've met"

"there are ways of persuading everyone" dumbledore wags his finger in the air, taking a lap around his desk, "in the end... the truth always comes out" he sits in his desk, eyeing a vial he has on the edge. i look back at hermione, and we gulp... understanding what he's saying. ron looks completely lost. "i will leave you all with that, now go back to breakfast before class starts"

"thank you, sir" i say quietly, running up and grabbing the vial, keeping eye contact with him to see if he will protest. when he says nothing, i turn my back and follow the others out of his office, the doors immediately shutting behind us.

__________________________

"do you lot want to explain to me what's going on?" ron whines from behind us as hermione, harry and i discuss what dumbledore has just said to us.

hermione groans, turning back to ron, "clearly dumbledore wants us to use this on draco. it's veritaserum" she says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"veritaserum?" ron looks between all of us, "isn't that regulated by the ministry?"

"yeah..." i take the vial from hermione, turning it over in my hands, "somehow dumbledore got his hands on some..." i tuck it into the pocket of my robe, stopping to turn to the others, "but it's the best chance we have of saving buckbeak"

together, we come up with a plan during our lunch break. most of it relies on me, since everyone else doesn't have much contact with draco. since the potion is clear, and odorless, i'm meant to slip it into draco's drink while we're in the common room later tonight. then i can get him alone, have him admit that it was his own fault buckbeak lashed out, and write this all to his father. with one final run through of the plan, i leave the three members of my rival house, jogging to my next class.

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	6. Chapter 6

i'm waiting in the common room studying with daphne. pansy went up to the room already, thank god. she would only complicate things. the boys were all in the great hall after dinner, but soon they enter the common room. i pat the couch next to me, making eye contact with draco. i see him smile a little as he takes a seat.

"i'm sorry about earlier" i whisper to him, leaning closer so the rest of our friends can't hear me over their own conversations.

"it's alright" draco squirms in his seat, taking a deep breath, "i understand where you were coming from"

"really?" i lean away from him, surprised

"i mean... kinda" he shrugs, "i guess it really was all my fault in the end" he avoids my gaze, looking awfully embarrassed of himself

"wow" i smile, "draco malfoy admitting guilt? i'd never thought i'd see this day"

"no need to rub it in" he smiles, hitting me in the shoulder.

i talk to him about his day, while everyone else talks about something that happened in their transfiguration class. as it gets later and later, the group thins out.

"i'm going to head up to the dorms" draco says, as the last of the other boys is leaving too. shit, i think.

"can you come back after you change?" i say and he looks back down at me, "i... i need help with potions again" i stutter out, seeing blaise still looking back at us.

"oh" he nods, "yeah sure i'll be right back" he smiles at me and then turns around, jogging after blaise towards the boys dorms.

i scramble, thinking of what to do next. maybe i won't have to use the veritaserum after all. i would feel a lot less guilty if i didn't have to use a potion on my friend. i hold my hand over the vial in my pocket, looking at draco's half full glass still on the table. i sigh. i just can't bring myself to do it. i'll have to convince him to write his father himself.

"i'm at your service y/l/n" draco hops over the back of the couch, landing next to me. i look over at him, now in pajama pants and a baggy grey t-shirt.

"okay..." i bite my lip, thinking carefully about how to proceed, "i don't actually need help with potions"

he laughs, "just wanted to spend more time with me?" he smirks

"no" i laugh back, crossing my arms and turning to face him, "it's about... buckbeak"

draco lets out a loud sigh, turning away from me, "this again?"

"look i just..." i place my hand on his shoulder, getting him to look at me, "if you think that what happened was your fault" i pause, checking to see if he seems receptive to what i'm saying. he's looking straight into my eyes, clearly listening to what i'm saying, "i think you should tell your dad" i let out the last sentence slowly, knowing he may not take it well.

"let me get this straight" he leans back, crossing his arms and tilting his head, "you want me to write my father, that he contacted the ministry for nothing?" he raises his eyebrows, "you've met my father, right?"

i nod, moving slightly closer to him, "i know, i know. but... if buckbeak gets executed, that'll be on your conscious"

he scoffs, "i can deal"

"but i can't" he looks up at me, "i would feel awful, draco. like i didn't try hard enough to get you to write to him" draco looks down, holding his hands together and cracking his knuckles. i look at him, waiting for him to say something.

"okay" he clears his throat, looking back at me, "i'll do it" he nods, reaching over to your bag, searching for a quill and paper, "but don't tell anyone i've gone soft" he chuckles, "i'm only doing this for you" he scowls, keeping his face stern.

i smile, snaking my arm behind him and giving him a small hug, resting my head on his shoulder, "thank you" i say quietly. i can see him smile for a moment, but it doesn't last long.

"okay, okay" he shrugs, signalling for me to get off, "hug me one more time and i'll stop writing" i laugh as he leans over the table, beginning to write a letter to lucius explaining the actual events that occured in our care of magical creatures class.

__________________________

the next morning i awake before the bell. today is the day of the hogsmeade trip and i couldn't be more excited. no one else is awake yet, so i quietly grab the veritaserum vial, tuck it into my pajama pants, and slip out to the door. i make my way to dumbledore's office, reciting the password harry used yesterday. luckily, it works.

"hello?" i question as i walk through the doors.

"miss y/l/n?" dumbledore says from his desk

"hi professor i-" i stumble towards him, still slightly thrown off by how friendly and simultaneously intimidating he is, "i wanted to return this" i place the vial down on his desk

"did you not find a use for it?" he questions

"i was able to convince him myself" i smile proudly, "thank you though, sir, for trying to help"

he nods, "of course miss y/l/n" he tucks the vial away in his drawer, "i am glad you were able to get him to write. the ministry contacted me this morning that they will no longer be coming to execute buckbeak"

"really!" i exclaim, "oh well that's just fantastic!" dumbledore smiles at my excitement.

"yes, it is excellent news" he chuckles, "now you best be going, don't want to be late for hogsmeade" he sends me away with that, and i'm giddy the whole walk back to the dungeons. i walk past the great hall to see if hermione, harry, or ron are in there to tell them the news, but they must still be asleep. i remind myself to tell them on the trip. i walk into the common room with a smile on my face, saying a quick hi to blaise and pansy who are on the couch, before going to my room to get ready.

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	7. Chapter 7

back in my dorm, i throw on a knitted sweater, jeans, a pair of sneakers, and grab a hat for good measure. it's already getting a little chilly outside. i use a small mirror on my bedside table to do some makeup and pin my hair in a half-up half-down hair do, before grabbing a bag to put my hat and other things in. i wait for daphne to finish getting ready before we head down to the common room together. when we get there, pansy, blaise, crabbe, draco, and goyle are waiting for us. we all join together and head down to the courtyard to meet the rest of our class.

"where do you reckon we ought to go first?" i say to draco as we lag behind the rest of the group

"i could care less" he shrugs

"you don't have to act like such a prick around me, you know?" i snicker, "you already broke your cover last night"

"i told you to let that go" he hisses under his breath, "i'm already dreading the boys asking me why buckbeak's been cleared" i laugh a little and he rolls his eyes, clearly not as amused as i am.

"we can go to honeydukes, like you had said the other day" he finally says, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets as we walk outside. the air is quite a lot colder than i expected, and i shiver.

"i should grab a coat" i say, beginning to turn around.

"you won't make it back in time" draco stops me, "here, i have a coat in my bag" he reaches down, pulling a long black coat from the bag on his shoulder and handing it to me.

"that's alright" i push it back towards him, "i'll suffer"

"suit yourself" he shrugs, throwing the jacket back into his bag. in all honesty i would've liked to take it, maybe if it wasn't his. rumors spread around this school like a wildfire, and i don't need anyone making assumptions, especially pansy.

__________________________

"okay students! hand over your permission slips!" professor mcgonagall hollers, "and remember, if you do not have one signed you cannot come on the trip" she says as students line up to hand her their slips.

draco and i are next in line, handing our slips quickly to the professor and then running back to the rest of the group.

"mr. malfoy!" she yells from behind us. draco curses under his breath as he turns back to face her, "i'm afraid you will not be able to attend trips to hogsmeade until you have this formed signed" she waves his slip in the air, "properly." she leaves emphasis on that last word and i can't help but smirk. i told him he would get caught.

draco walks up and takes the permission slip from her, sulking past her back into the building. i seem to be the only one of our friends who gives it a second thought, guess i'm the most compassionate of the group. not surprising, i suppose, we are all slytherins.

"professor" i turn away from my friends, walking up to mcgonagall, "if it's alright, i'd like to stay here today"

she gives me a quizzical look, "why miss y/l/n.. your slip was just fine"

"i- i know i'm just.." i pause, "not feeling well. that's all"

"well alright" professor mcgonagall nods, "hopefully you will be able to join us next week" she walks away, heading to the front of the group.

"hey pansy!" i shout and she turns back to me, "could you buy somethings for me in town today?"

"sure" she runs over to me, "what do you need"

i write her a quick list of the candy i want from honeydukes, as well as the tea i want from madam puddifoot's to send my mother. i thank her and then say goodbye to the others, running back quickly inside and down towards the dungeons.

i search the common room, but draco is nowhere to be seen. odd. i go into my dorm, trying to think of where he could have gone. then an idea comes to me. quickly, i change into a sweatshirt and put on a jacket, my hat, and gloves, and rush out of the slytherin dorms.

__________________________

"figured i would find you here" i shout up to draco from the bottom of the quidditch pitch. he flies fairly high above me, too distracted with practicing to have noticed me walking in.

"y/n?" he says in confusion, looking down and almost losing balance. he regains stability and then dives downward, coming to rest on the grass, "shouldn't you be in hogsmeade?"

"town's overrated" i shrug, trying not to make a big deal of me staying behind for him. unfortunately for me, draco loves the opportunity to tease people.

"oh c'mon" he smirks, "you were crazy excited for the trip. talked my ear off all week about it" he rolls his eyes a little as he throws the quaffle up and down in the air, "don't tell me you stayed back..." he pauses, waiting for the ball to land back in his hand before finishing his sentence, "for me?" he raises an eyebrow, now looking me dead in the eye

"that's absurd" i laugh, taking the ball from his hand, "i stayed back for my own sanity" we begin to toss the ball back and forth as we talk, "you think i could stand the rest of our group without you to make fun of them with?"

"that's a fair point" he laughs, dropping the ball to the ground by his feet.

"besides" i say, "you should be glad i'm saving you from spending the day with all the first and second years" he nods, grabbing his broom from the grass.

"you know how to fly?" he looks over at me, pointing to a spare broom lying in the grass by the box housing the bludgers.

i nod, "i can manage" i lift up the broom, mounting it. he smirks a litte, perhaps i look like a fool. i haven't flown since we were required to in our first year. well, actually since-

my thoughts are interrupted by the sounds of draco shooting into the air. he hollers as he soars towards the sky, a smile on his face. i follow suit, willing myself to stay on this broom as i zoom after him.

"is that your definition of managing?" draco chuckles, coming to hover next to me above the stadium, "you're not half bad"

"really?" i smile

"not bad at all actually" he shrugs, tossing the quaffle in his arm to me without notice, but i catch it with ease, "impressive"

"my dad taught me how to play before he-" i stop, "i mean, when i was younger" i clear my throat, passing the ball back to him. i see him look as though he wants to ask more, but thankfully he doesn't. i don't know if i'm quite ready to open up to him about my family just yet.

"you should play here" he passes the ball from a greater distance, and i still complete the pass.

"don't get ahead of yourself, malfoy" i laugh, doing a little loop as i throw the ball in his direction, "i'm not that good" i see draco raise his brow a bit, "and if i'm on the team, who will be your cheerleader in the stands?"

"cheerleader?" draco says

"it's a muggle thing" i sigh. i always forget how uneducated he is about those things

"oh" he says, with a slight tinge of disgust in his voice.

"it's just girls who cheer for the ones playing sports" i shrug, "you know like, lead chants, scream your name, stuff like that"

"i see" draco throws the ball, hard this time, you have to fly up quickly to catch it, but you reach out your arms just in time to grab it between your hands, "i'm sure pansy would be glad to take over as my..." his face contorts, as though the word is painful to say, "cheerleader" i cringe at the idea of it. like she needs an excuse to fawn over malfoy.

__________________________

we play for awhile longer, racing each other around the arena and tossing the quaffle back and forth before we tire ourselves out, flying down to the grass and laying down, out of breath.

"you know i haven't played in years" i say after a moment of silence, turning my head to look at draco beside me. he's still staring up at the sky.

"oh, yeah?" he says, his breathing still a little heavy

"yeah i stopped when.." i hesitate, but only for a moment, "when my dad left"

this seems to get his attention. he turns his head sideways to face me. i try and place the look on his face, i've never seen him look like that before, but i believe he's trying to express concern.

"i don't know" i take a deep breath, "i think it's because he's the one that taught me... it felt wrong to play without him"

"where did he...go?" draco says quietly

"he was sent on a mission for the ministry- he was an auror for the major investigation department- about two and a half years ago, right before i left for hogwarts" i look back up at the sky, not being able to keep eye contact with draco while i speak, "it was supposed to last a year and well" i laugh a little, "he hasn't come back yet" i sit up a little, leaning back against my elbows, "and the best part? no one knows where he is. not my mom, not my grandparents, none of his brothers, not even the ministry! well, if the ministry does knows they sure as hell aren't telling us" i sigh, looking down to my hands. on my ring finger i wear a small ring with a golden snitch on it. my dad gave it to me after i won my first quidditch tournament when i was six. a small smile manages to work it's way onto my face.

"wow that's-"

"awful?" i mutter, sitting all the way up, "tell me about it"

suddenly i can feel warmth radiating next to me, and i know draco's moved closer, "y/n i'm" i can hear him take a shaky breath. this must be odd for him, he's so used to insulting people all the time, "i'm sorry to hear that" i look over my shoulder at him to see him biting his lip slightly, looking awfully nervous.

"it's alright" i look back forward, "sorry to unload all of this on you i know you're not a very.... touchy feely person"

he chuckles a little, "you could say that" i feel his hand on top of mine and i can't help but shudder, surprised by the sudden contact, "but we're still... friends" he once again pauses, clearly having difficulty being open with me, "and i'm here to talk, you know?" i look to him and he's smiling at me. an actual, genuine smile. from draco malfoy.

"thank you, draco" i smile back for a moment before i turn to look at the pitch, while his hand slides off mine.

"tryouts are this week" he says. i can hear him standing up behind me and packing up the quaffle, "you should come if you're.." he pauses as the box clicks shut, "comfortable"

i nod, standing up as well, "i think i will" i walk over to him, helping him carry the things towards the storage area, "i don't think he's coming back anytime soon... if at all" draco inhales sharply as i say that last bit. i often forget that to me, thinking that my dad may never come back is second nature, but others seem to find the subject unsettling the first time i speak of it, "i've wasted enough time not playing as it is"

draco nods, lifting the box up onto a shelf and then looking to me, seeming to not know what to say, or what to do with himself.

"food?" i question

"yes please" he exhales loudly, a smile coming back to his face. i laugh a little and wave him on, us walking side by side back to the great hall together to get some lunch.

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	8. Chapter 8

the next day is sunday, so we still don't have any classes. i spend the morning in the library with daphne and pansy, working on our papers for herbology. i spot the golden trio in the distance and take some time to talk to them, making sure they got the news about buckbeak. they say hagrid already told them, but they thank me a million times for talking to draco. i rejoin my friends and work for a little longer. 

in the afternoon, we leave studying to go back to the common room, in search of the male half of our friend group. unsurprisingly, they are all slumped on the couches, arguing loudly about who they think will win the quidditch world cup this year. i can barely hear my own thoughts over them, so i leave pansy and daphne downstairs with them and go up to our dorm to get some peace and quiet.

to my surprise, a small letter is folded on my pillow. i figured my owl must have dropped it off while the girls and i were studying. i lay back and begin to unfold it, reading the familiar handwriting.

if you're going to make the team, you need practice 

quidditch pitch, tonight 17:00

then during our free periods: monday & tuesday 10:00, wednesday 15:00, and thursday 16:00 after classes. tryouts are friday morning, 9:00. i presume we have the same times off. 

you should send for a better broom.

\- d.m.

__________________________

the week is filled with running between my classes to meet draco and practice. he's awfully serious about me getting on the team. by monday my mum had sent my broom from home over. it's a nimbus from a couple models back, but still flies better than the school brooms. draco trains me to be a keeper, since i'm very good at catching the ball... not so much at passing.

but the hard week of work pays off, and by 10:00 friday morning...

i'm the newest member of the slytherin quidditch team.

__________________________

"are you sure you can't come to hogsmeade" pansy whines, practically clawing onto draco's shoulder as we eat breakfast. i think she's gotten more and more desperate for his attention over the past month.

it's now the middle of november, and as the air get chillier so does the castle. we take any excuse we can to get out into the warmth of the hogsmeade buildings but-

"y/n and i have quidditch practice" 

"draco's right pansy" i say as i shovel another load of eggs onto my plate, "and flint will have our heads if we miss practice again"

last week, draco and i were caught out past curfew. not doing anything bad of course, draco was just convinced potter was going to be in the halls that night and wanted to be the one to catch him. so i guess that is kind of bad. i just needed a break from listening to pansy and daphne's constant fangirling over him, so when he asked if i would tag along i couldn't refuse.

big mistake.

filch caught us almost instantly, and it ended up landing us in detention right during practice the next day. 

"at least come to town when you're done!" daphne turns to me, "pansy and i were going to get some new dress robes so we're prepared for the holidays. you know you were meant to come along" she's practically begging me as she stares dead in my eyes, widening hers into a puppy dog face. i think even she's starting to think pansy is a bit much to be around.

"okayy i'll come by after" i look across the table at draco, trying to catch his eye. but he's too busy eating up all the attention pansy giving him to notice.

__________________________

during practice i'm able to convince draco to come into hogsmeade with me. 

"but pansy's gonna-" he starts as we walk back towards the dungeons

"if you're so fed up with her, just tell her you're not interested!" i roll my eyes, having this been the hundredth time i've given him this advice

"i know, you've said that but-" 

"but what?" i pause only to speak the password and walk through to the common room, "it's only worse if you lead her on"

"i'm not-"

"you're not leading her on?" i cross my arms, turning to face him, "i thought you said she drove you mad"

"she does" he groans, "the girl's absolutely mental. i'm not interested in that i just-"

"like the attention?" i raise my eyebrows, leaning forward against the back of the couch. 

draco pauses a moment before setting a scowl on his face, "you know we spend to much time together" he knocks me in the shoulder, walking past me towards the boys dorm, "i don't like being psychoanalyzed" he says as he walks backwards away from me

"big words for a boy who can't admit he's an attention seeker" i snicker before running towards the girls dorm staircase, seeing draco's eyes light up in playful anger as he pulls out his wand. thankfully, his sparks miss me, only managed to knock a couple books off their shelf next to me. i laugh before disappearing up the stairs, hearing draco chuckle in the distance.

__________________________

"i don't know if i like it" daphne examines herself in the shop mirror, spinning around in what feels like the thousandth robe she's tried on. she frowns, trying to adjust it before sighing and sitting down, "why don't you try on a few, y/n?"

"i like the dress robes i've already got" i shrug, not wanting to say i'm saving up for a new broom and don't want to ask my mum for the money.

"oh c'monnnn" pansy smiles, pushing me off my chair and dragging me to a dressing room, "just try them. you never know!"

she pulls the curtain closed and then throws about 10 robes over the top. i catch them with a grunt, the stacks quite heavy. i sigh and begin changing, knowing they won't rest until i do.

i go through robe after robe, and it feels that everyone one a try on, pansy and daphne pick me out 5 new ones.

"see! isn't this one gorgeous" pansy grins, smoothing out the fabric around the back of the robe.

"i suppose it is quite nice" i can't even try to lie. i would die to own this robe. i'm so enthralled with my reflection in it a barely notice pansy come around in front of me, reaching to smooth the fabric down but instead... landing her hands on my necklace.

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	9. Chapter 9

"what's this?" pansy smiles innocently, grabbing the necklace charm and turning it over between her fingers.

i snap out of my trance, looking down and realizing what's happening, "oh it's.." i search for the words, "just a necklace?" even i sound unsure of myself, don't know how she's meant to believe me.

"where'd you get it?" she raises her eyebrow

"here in hogsmeade" i say quickly. i curse to myself, knowing i sound like a fool. i thought slytherin's were meant to be good at lying.

"haven't seen you wearing it before and we haven't gone jewelry shopping here" she smirks, finally letting go of the necklace, but still holding my gaze, "someone sent it to you, didn't they?"

"someone sent you something?" daphne says as she rounds the corner, coming with more robes for me to try.

"it's nothing" i attempt to laugh it off, turning to face her.

"it is not nothing" pansy exclaims, jumping over towards daphne, "y/n has got quite the nice piece of jewelry around her neck and won't tell me who it's from"

"a secret admirer?" daphne smiles widely, dropping the robs onto a chair and running towards me, "i'm intrigued"

she reaches for the necklace, and i let her. no point in hiding it under my sweater now. she observes it and agrees with pansy that it's very nice, and insists i tell them where it's from.

i try everything, saying its from my mum, my grandma, my uncle, but they see right through it.

they act like if they don't solve this... the world's going to end. we change, pansy and daphne buying new robes and me sadly leaving my dream robe behind, and they still keep guessing people all the way to meet our friend's at the three broomsticks.

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we've been sitting with the guys for about 15 minutes before disaster strikes.

"do any of you lot know who fancies y/n?" pansy says out of the blue. caught of guard, i almost spit out my butterbeer, but manage to contain myself and swallow it quickly.

"pansy" i mutter under my breath, elbowing her.

"what?" she smirks, "if you won't tell us, maybe one of them know"

"what're you on about?" blaise says, clearly confused

"don't worry about-"

"don't listen to her" daphne interrupts me, "she's got a saturn necklace on and won't tell us who its from" i gulp, trying to avoid everyone's eye contact.

"you're kidding" blaise says, and i can hear the smirk in his voice.

i look back up, seeing draco has gone white in the face. he catches my eye and glares, narrowing his eyes at me before lifting his mug and taking a long sip.

the boys all agree that they have no idea who would have sent it to me. even draco chimes in.

"no one fancies her" he says as he throws his empty mug down onto the table, "if someone did, she would tell you" he makes eye contact with me for a moment, he scowl faltering for a second before he looks away

"that's a good point" pansy sighs, giving up the subject for the rest of our outing.

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it's pretty late after we finish dinner in the great hall. we all spend time playing wizard chess in the common room before slowly leaving to go to sleep. i grab draco and pull him into one of the side rooms before he disappears to his dorm.

"you didn't tell them about the necklace?" he says, as soon as we're out of the other's earshot

"well... no" i shrug, a little confused, "i didn't think you would want me to"

"right" he clears his throat, "well then.. thanks i guess"

"yeah" i say awkwardly

"did you have something to say to me?" he crosses his arms

"huh?"

"you're the one who pulled me in here" his face hardens

"oh um" i had been planning on saying something about how he said no one fancied me but... the moment seems to have passed, "no no that was it"

without another word, draco gives a weak smile and turns away, walking through the door. before it swings closed i can see him walk to the boys staircase and i sigh. he said no one fancied me. it feels stupid now that i feel hurt, it's not like i'm interested in him but...

i shake off the weird feeling and leave the room too, going quickly up to bed. i stay up with the girls talking through some notes before our potions test tomorrow, before we all drift off to sleep.

it feel as though draco doesn't speak to me for a week after that.

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draco's pov

after quidditch practice with y/n, we go to meet up with our friends in hogsmeade. 

"i'll meet up with the girls and you go find the boys" y/n says, walking frantically into town, "give us about an hour and a half and then meet at three broomsticks"

i nod "i understood the plan the first three times you said it, and i understand it now" she rolls her eyes at me as we part ways. i head towards zonko's joke shop, figuring that's where the boys would have went.

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"pansy seems to really fancy you" blaise observes as we sit on a bench outside of zonko's. we already got out things but crabbe and goyle are taking forever.

"i suppose" i shrug

"and daphne" blaise adds, pulling out some candy they must've gotten from honeydukes earlier. he offers me some, but i decline, "you know, i think y/n might fancy you as well" i hear a hint of jealousy when he says y/n's name.

"y/n?" i say as blaise nods, "you're off your rocker if you think that"

blaise shrugs, dropping the subject as crabbe and goyle join us to walk over and meet the girls.

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i'm sitting at three broomsticks with the group, mulling over what blaise said to me, as goyle asks stupid questions about our charms class, when pansy opens her mouth.

"do any of you lot know who fancies y/n?" pansy says out of the blue. i look up quickly, now slightly more interested in the conversation.

"pansy" i hear y/n mutter under her breath. does she know who fancies her? does she fancy them back?

"what? if you won't tell us" she turns to y/n, smirking, "maybe one of them know" she looks across the table at us guys, her smirk only widening.

"what're you on about?" blaise says, placing down his mug and leaning forward a little. i think i'm the only one that notices a hint of concern in his voice. i also think i'm the only one who's not completely oblivious that he's sweet on her. i scrunch my face, trying to block the idea of blaise and her from my head.

"don't worry about-" y/n starts, looking right at blaise. i can't help but feel uneasy, but still keep my mouth shut. 

"don't listen to her" daphne interrupts y/n, "she's got a saturn necklace on and won't tell us who its from" 

that's when the panic starts. more surprise first. they're just now finding out about the necklace? it's been two months since i gave it to her and she... kept it a secret? does she not want people to know we're friends? then it sets in that everyone's going to think i like her if they find out about the necklace.

"you're kidding" blaise says, and i can hear the smirk in his voice. i try and get all of my thoughts out of my head. i almost feel... hurt. like she's ashamed of me and wants to hide what i got her. i realize i do want everyone to know that the thing around her neck is mine.

i look back up, seeing y/n looking at me with concern. i realize i must look mad, quickly grabbing my mug and taking a sip to cover my face. 

"well i've got no guesses" blaise shrugs, leaning back a bit. crabbe and goyle nod along. they're to dense to catch on even if i did fancy her. i mean, even if anyone fancied her.

"no one fancies her" i blurt out. i pause, now realizing that all eyes are on me. maybe that came out too defensive, "if someone did, she would tell you" i add. i look at y/n and attempt to smile, but i know it fails.

"that's a good point" pansy sighs, giving up the subject for the rest of our outing.

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after dinner we all spend the evening in the common room playing chess. i beat everyone with ease. i'm quite proud of my chess skills. just as i'm about to exit to my dorm to get some rest, i feel a tug on my arm. before i can process what's happening, i'm being pulled into another room by the mysterious force. i get my bearings and look down, seeing y/n standing before me.

"you didn't tell them about the necklace?" i say the first thing that comes to mind

"well... no" she shrugs, looking confused, "i didn't think you would want me to"

why would i not want you to is all i want to say, but instead "right" is all that comes out. i clear my throat, "well then.. thanks i guess" internally, i roll my eyes at myself

"yeah" y/n says quietly

"did you have something to say to me?"

"huh?" she looks up at me, finally making eye contact.

"you're the one who pulled me in here" i scowl

"oh um" she looks away, seeming to think about what she'll say next, "no no that was it"

i nod and turn away, clearly she doesn't want people to know about the necklace, and that's fine by me. all the better actually. if we're not friends "publicly" i ought to stop giving her so much attention. maybe i will consider pansy. i shake my head, no i wouldn't do that. my thoughts are interrupted when i walk into the dorm, the guys bombarding me with all of the pranks they bought at the joke shop. 

i'm distracted for the rest of the night, but as i lie in bed once the others have fallen asleep, i can't help but recount the events of today. i don't even know what i would say to y/n the next time i see her. things already feel... so different then they did this morning.

i don't think i speak to her for a week after that.

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	10. Chapter 10

it's two weeks before holiday break and i couldn't be more ready to get out of this school.

thing's between draco and i have been awful ever since the necklace incident, it's like the beginning of the school year all over again. we're constantly bickering, he's even yelled at me a few times when i tease him too much. pansy being all over him doesn't make it any easier, because now he flirts back with her. i think it's just to spite me... i sure hope it is.

we're all in the common room, studying and doing homework. the professor's always pile on the work before breaks.

"draco did you figure out what we need for the potions practical tomorrow?" i look up at him laying across the couch reading my textbook, while his head rests on pansy's shoulder. she couldn't look more pleased with herself.

"i thought you were going to figure that out" he replies, without looking at me

"how am i meant to do that when you're using my textbook?"

he whistles, "no need to get your knickers in a twist" he closes the book, throwing it down on the table in front of me, "i've got it all sorted out"

i take a deep breath, trying not to explode. i'm not used to him being cruel to me. even before we were friends he generally just left me alone, but now him teasing me has become an everyday thing.

"i hope we change partners when we come back from break" i mutter, grabbing back my book.

the bells sounds, fortunately, because it looked as though draco was about to say a practically nasty retort. we all pack up our things and head to the great hall for lunch.

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draco's pov

we're at the great hall, eating our lunch. i've been pretty harsh to y/n recently... but isn't that what she wanted? if she didn't want people to find out the necklace was from me, i figured distancing myself was the only way. 

pansy talks my ear off the whole meal. i'm not really listening to a thing she says though. i'm focused on y/n. she's not looking at me, she's turned to the side talking to blaise about divination. suddenly, i hear the swoosh of wings and i look up, seeing y/n's owl flying over head. that's odd, i think, mail came this morning. a letter drops down in front of y/n, and i recognize where it's from immediately... the ministry of magic. she looks away from blaise and sees the letter. i see her face go blank in shock as she grabs it quickly, running out of the great hall. blaise looks confused, but just turns back to his meal as she goes away. i look around at the rest of our friends, is no one going to go after her?

"get off" i nudge pansy and she jumps back, gasping as i stand up, not bothering to say bye to anyone as i follow y/n out the door. 

by the time i catch her, she's in the dorms.

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your pov

i'm standing over my bed, holding the letter in my hand. it's addressed to me... from the ministry. it can only be one of two things.

my dad's alive

or my dad's dead

i can't fathom what else they would be contacting me about. 

i haven't been able to muster up the strength to open it, it's almost better not knowing. i sigh, throwing it on to my bed and sitting next to it, placing my head in my hands.

i'm brought out of my thoughts by a soft knock on the door.

"hey" a familiar voice says quietly. i look up to see draco leaning against the doorframe, a small smile on his face.

"you know boys aren't allowed in the girls dorms" i say frankly, moving further back on my bed and resting my head against the wall.

"i'll take my chances" he smirks, moving over and sitting at the end of my bed, facing me

"what made you decide to be friendly to me all of a sudden?" i snap at him, seeing his smile fade

he just points to the letter sitting between us

"oh" i sigh

"yeah" he licks his lips awkwardly, looking down at his hands as he plays with the ring on his finger. we sit in silence for a moment before he speaks again, "sorry i've been a prick lately"

"at least you're aware you're an ass" i manage to chuckle a little. he smirks up at me.

"i didn't want them to figure out.." he clears his throat, "the necklace you know?"

"you think any of them are smart enough to figure it's from you" i laugh, "besides, they think it's from someone who fancies me. and pansy's convinced you fancy her"

"really?" he laughs

"well you do spend loads of time with her now that you don't speak to me unless it's an insult"

he looks down, guilt spread across his face, "well i don't fancy her" i raise my eyebrow, "i seriously don't"

i nod, believing him. i honestly don't think he's capable of fancying anyone. i look back down at the letter, picking it up slowly.

"what if he's..." i trail off. i see draco sigh nervously before moving closer to me, placing his hand over mine that's holding the letter.

"no matter what, it'll be alright" he gives a small smile, which i return. with a deep breath i begin to open the envelope, pulling out the letter and unfolding it. i can feel draco looking at me as a read, probably trying to figure out if the news is good or bad.

i sit, my mouth wide open as i finish the last sentence, not being able to comprehend what i've just read.

"what is it?" he says quietly. i look up to him and meet his eyes.

"he's alive" i whisper, not believing it myself.

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by the end of the night, i'm packed. they're sending me home early to see my dad, said i can take any exams i miss after break. draco helps me packs up my things, going on the whole time about how crazy this all is. i'd have to agree.

"what do i tell the other's?" draco says, as leave the mail room with my owl in her cage.

"i didn't think about that" i say honestly. draco is my only friend who knows the whole story about my dad, the other's don't even know he was missing in the first place.

"just tell them.... tell them that he was on a mission for the ministry and has just returned home. don't mention anything else" he nods. it's not technically a lie, it's just leaving out some key details.

he walks me down to the entrance hall where the rest of my stuff waits with hagrid. he's meant to take me back by boat and then i'll meet my mum at the station to go home. i turn back to draco standing in the doorway.

"good luck" he smiles, looking as if he doesn't know what to do next.

i run back up to him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. he jumps back at first, probably in surprise, but slowly places his arms around my waist, returning the hug.

"thought you didn't like hugs" i say, muffled by his sweater. 

"i'll allow it" i pull back and see him smiling, "just this one time" he laughs, letting go of my waist to push me away from him by my shoulders. i smile widely, it feels like we're back to normal again.

"thanks for everything malfoy" i reach down, grabbing my suitcase. draco smiles a little, almost a sad smile if that makes sense, "promise you'll write this time?" i tease

"i promise" he rolls his eyes, turning and walking back into the castle as i turn to hagrid, boarding the boat and beginning my journey back home. 

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	11. Chapter 11

my mother saw a letter from you come in. recognized your last name, my father says you're a respectable family. he never seemed to care last year, i guess now that you're father's back his opinions changed. it's all crap if you ask me.

anyways, since they've noticed, they want you're family to come to our manor for dinner. i told them that was alright. hope you can make it. friday, come at 17:00.

oh and wear something nice.

\- d.m.

i finish draco's letter and laugh a little. of course the malfoy's are just as stuck-up as my dad's side of the family. now that he's back home, we're back in their good graces. they don't like my mum very much, since she doesn't support you-know-who and well... my dad's family does. when dad was gone they would barely speak to her, but now they've been giving us loads. feels nice to be a noble pure-blood family again, i hate to admit it, but the special treatment is nice.

all of christmas break, draco has been staying in touch. as have my other friends. i saw daphne and pansy once, they came over to exchange gifts. pansy was all upset because draco hasn't wrote her. lucky me, i had hidden his letters to me before she came.

i tell my mum that we're invited to the malfoy's, and she couldn't look more happy and more disgusted at the same time. it's no secret what draco's parents did when you-know-who was in power. even though they deny it, i don't think i believe them... my mum definitely doesn't. however, it is an honor to be invited there, seeing as they're a pretty high class wizarding family, so she accepts the invitation and tells me to let father know.

it's been great having father back, aside from the special perks. he's been flying with me again, he's super proud i'm on the quidditch team. and he tells me loads of stories on his adventures of the past two years. some are quite dark, but still interesting.

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friday rolls around soon enough. i'm getting ready while daphne is behind me, well... she's using the floo network to speak to me through my fireplace.

"i can't believe you've been invited to the malfoy's" her tone is somewhere between jealousy and excitement, "pansy will kill you if she ever finds out"

"i know" i groan, "which is why you better keep your mouth shut" i turn to glare at her, but she only laughs. my threats usually don't affect her much.

"that's a lovely dress" she smiles, admiring the emerald green dress i'm wearing. it's silk, comes about to my mid-thigh, and has small spaghetti straps. although it's mostly covered by the black dress robe i wear overtop it. i also have on small black heels, "draco's going to love it"

"i'm not concerned about what draco thinks" i chuckle, fixing my makeup in the mirror. i can see daphne raise her eyebrow being me, but she stays silent.

my mum calls for me from downstairs, "you better get going" i say to daphne, "we're going to be using the floo to get there" daphne nods and disappears from the flames. i check my reflection one more time before leaving my room, walking down towards the floo room.

we moved once my dad came back. grandparents let us inherit their second home. it's quite a lot bigger than i'm used to. a proper wizarding manor, it is. old, grand, and way more space than any three person family needs. i'm a little disgusted by it honestly. we did nothing to deserve it other than being pure-blood. i shudder at the thought as i enter the floo room, seeing my parents waiting in front of the fire for me.

"there you are!" my mum exclaims, "i thought we were going to be late" she gathers me and my dad up, both of us trying to hold in laughs at mum's nervous state. she sprinkles in some floo powder and sends me through first. i shout, malfoy manor, and in a second i'm gone.

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my parents are right behind me, and soon we're standing in the entrance of malfoy manor. i understand why draco brags so much about it at school, his house is incredible. my mum spends a couple minutes making sure we all look good from our journey before we walk further into the foyer.

"is that you evelyn?" i hear a sweet voice call from around the corner. soon, a lady with brown and platinum blonde hair appears, smiling ear to ear.

"narcissa!" my mum smiles, walking towards her. they embrace for a moment as draco and his father appear behind them.

"lucius" my father nods, holding out his hand to shake. draco's father shakes back, his attempt at a smile on his face.

"i didn't realize you all knew each other" draco says, coming further into view.

"oh why.. we all went to school together" his mother smiles

"introduce yourself draco" lucius says, hitting draco in the back with his cane. draco doesn't wince, but i do, "don't be impolite" he mutters

"hello mr and mrs y/l/n, i'm draco" he shakes my dad and mums hand. i hold back a laugh at the silly formality, but soon i'm being ushered up to meet his parents. lucius shakes my hand, while narcissa gives me a hug. she seems sweet... draco's father scares me.

they escort my parents into the sitting room, telling draco to give me a tour of the house as they shut the door.

"you're dad's intense"

he shrugs, "used to it" he holds out his hand, "i can give you a tour if you'd actually like.. it'll be quite boring though"

"boring?" i scoff, "i would love to live in this house, if you can even call it that. it's practically a castle draco! this is the only thing i'm letting you brag about from now on"

he chuckles as i finally take his hand, allowing him to drag me down the hallway. he points out all of the rooms, seeming completely disinterested as we walk around the manor.

"and that's all of it" he sighs, coming to stop in front of a door

"you didn't take me in there" i point

"oh that?" he blushes slightly, "that's just my room. nothing interesting" he starts to walk away down the hall, but i protest

"i'm going innn!" i tease, backing towards his door

"now come on" draco groans, "i haven't cleaned"

but it's too late, i've already gone and opened the door. i step in and look around the room, seeing a nice bed in the center with grey, untidy sheets. his owl is perched in the corner under a quidditch poster, and his school books are piled in a different corner. he has one photo with his mum on his dresser.. but besides that the room's pretty empty.

"looks clean to me" i laugh, walking over and flopping down on his bed.

"bed's not made" he mumbles, walking over to a desk by the window and sitting in the chair, spinning it to face me.

"i never make my bed" i look at him and smile. he laughs a little, throwing a candy at me. i laugh, catching it and eating the chocolate frog.

"excited to go back to school?" i say as a finish chewing

"not really. don't learn anything actually useful there"

"we're only in our third year draco, we have to learn the basics first" i roll my eyes

"you sounds like that hermione" he scowls

"she's not that bad, you know"

"not that bad?!" he laughs, "she's a mudblood, y/n"

"so?" i raise my eyebrow, "she's the best witch in our class. clearly blood has very little to do with talent"

he cross his arms, "people like her shouldn't even be let into the school"

"jealousy is an ugly emotion draco" i sneer. i try and look past some of the things he says sometimes, i know it's just his upbringing... i know what his dad is. practically everyone does.

"why would i be jealous of a mudblood" he mutters

"because she's better than you" i shrug, sitting up, "it's the same reason you despise potter. i think it's only child syndrome. you can't stand someone having more attention than you"

he only scowls in response as we're called down for dinner, both dropping the subject so we can enjoy the meal with our families

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	12. Chapter 12

most of dinner is just filled with formalities. the parents question draco and i about school, what classes we're excited for this term, things like that. lucius makes some questionable comments about how they should teach dark arts like they do at durmstrang... luckily i make eye contact with my mum and she doesn't start an argument. after dinner, the adults retreat back into the sitting room for a drink, leaving draco and i alone once more.

"are you all done?" draco points to my plate, i nod, "c'mon, i've got something to show you"

i don't have time to ask questions as draco darts out of the room. i stand in confusion and follow him out into the hall, seeing him waiting at the end of the corridor. i follow him back up to his room.

"wait in the hall" he says as he opens his door, just a crack, so he can slip inside, "i'll just be a moment" i laugh a little, wondering what the hell he is up to as i slide down the wall, sitting down on the cold stone floor outside of draco's bedroom.

"ok come in!" he shouts and i stand back up, entering into his room.

he's there smiling, sitting on his bed, with a package in front of him. it's wrapped quite poorly if i'm honest, but he looks rather proud of himself.

"what's this?" i say, knowing i'm already smiling ear to ear.

"here come sit" he pats across the bed from him, on the other side of the gift.

i smile, sitting down on the bed, "for me?" he nods eagerly, pushing it towards me. i begin to unwrap it, wondering what could possibly be inside. soon, i see purple fabric underneath the parchment wrapping, instantly knowing what it is. the robe i tried on in hogsmeade.

"is this?" i look up at him, seeing that his smile has gotten bigger, he nods a little, looking like if i don't open the package faster he might burst, "you're kidding" i say quietly, ripping open the package. sure enough, there sits the purple velvet robe, covered with silver stars and lined with black silk.

"that's why i didn't want you in here earlier, i was scared you would find it" he laughs, "i only had it tucked under the bed"

"this must've cost you a fortune draco" i say as i pick up the robe, unfolding it in awe

"i got everyone to chip in" he says, "pansy had mentioned you trying it on when she was asking about the necklace"

i place the robe down on my lap, looking up at draco, "thank you... so much" i lunge over the ripped up paper to hug draco around the neck, burying my head in his shoulder. to my delight, he hugs me back.

"you deserve it, for putting up with all my shit" he mumbles

"oh don't say it like that" i pull away, "cleaning up after your messes keeps me entertained" he chuckles, hitting me in shoulder

"i'm glad you like it" he smiles, standing up and gathering the wrapping paper. i look down, holding the soft fabric in my hand and smiling. i look over at draco burning the wrapping paper in his fire.

then, he turns back to me, "go on, try it on" he gestures towards the robe.

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draco's pov

i watch as her face lights up when i suggest she try on the robe. she stands up, shrugging her shoulders so her black robe falls backwards off her shoulders, revealing more of the dress she has underneath. i can feel heat rising to my cheeks, so i turn and continue putting the trash in the fireplace.

"i've got it on now draco" she says, "you can stop pretending not to look"

i turn to see her smirking, observing herself in my mirror. the robe fits her perfectly, coming just above her ankles. the colors match the dress she wore perfectly. i notice now that she has on the necklace i got her.

i come up behind her in the mirror, "it looks great" i say, somewhat quietly

she spins around to face me saying, "i love it" and smiling, "am i allowed to hug you again" she looks up at me, tucking her hair behind her ear.

as her smile begins to fade, i realize i didn't respond. i clear my throat and nod and she smiles again, wrapping her arms around my neck. her head rests against my shoulder as a wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her closer to my chest.

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your pov

"my turn now!" i say, pulling back and ducking under draco's arms.

"huh?" he says, lowering his arms and turning to face me as i run back to my other robe.

"to give you your gift" i say, picking up my robe and digging through the pockets

"you got me something?" he looks stunned as he walks over, sitting down on his bed.

"of course i did" i laugh, pulling a small ring box from the pocket and holding it out to draco.

"are you proposing to me?" he smirks, "took you long enough"

"oh shut up and open it" i thrust the box toward him as he laughs, taking it from my hand. it takes him a moment to lift the lid and recognize what's inside. he hold up the ring, which has a large silver band with a circle in the center. in the middle of the circle is a gold painted emblem of a snitch. he slips it onto his ring finger, as his pointer finger is occupied by his slytherin house ring, and examines it, "do you like it?" i say nervously

"it matches your ring" he points down to my hand resting on his bed, i nod slightly, my ring's smaller and all gold.. but the idea was for ours to match, "yes, yes i like it a lot" he smiles a little, still looking at the ring. he looks up at me, smiling a little more, "thank you"

we talk awhile, mainly about random things, before coming onto the subject of our friends.

"pansy's gone absolutely mad since you haven't written her" i say, knowing i should probably warn him. i assume she'll yell at him once we're back at school.

"i was hoping she would forget about me if i just stopped engaging" he shrugs, leaning back in his desk chair.

"that's the worst strategy draco, you're going to break the poor girl's heart" i sit on the floor in front of his bed, leaning back against it while i eat more candies draco had stashed in his bedside table.

"that poor girl" he mocks my tone, "is freakishly obsessed with me. i can't take anymore of it"

"well can you at least tell her you don't fancy her"

his eyes go wide, "no no no way, she'll be furious with me. you tell her"

"me?" i laugh, "i don't think she would appreciate hearing that the boys she fancies doesn't like her... from the girl whom he gave a necklace and a robe too, as well as has a matching ring with" i toss him box of bertie bott's as he gestures for them, "she'll think i fancy you for god sake"

"you're right that is a bad idea" he shrugs, "i'll deal with it once we're back" i laugh, amazed with how nonchalant he can be about all of this. we have another half an hour together before our parents call us down, saying it's time to head home.

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"that's a nice robe" my father whispers to me with a smirk. i mutter for him to be quiet and he laughs a little, turning back to everyone else, who is saying goodbye.

"it was lovely to meet you, y/n" narcissa smiles, giving me another hug, "i do hope you will be able to join us again sometime"

"i would love to mrs. malfoy" i smile, then turning to lucius, "thank you for having us" i reach out my hand towards him.

"our pleasure" he says, shaking my hand briefly before saying goodbye to my parents. they start heading towards the entrance way fireplace, but i quickly turn to draco.

"thank you again" i give him a small smile, "see you back at school" i add before turning to jog after my parents, stepping into the fireplace with them as they speak our houses name, bringing us back into our floo room at home.

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	13. Chapter 13

a couple days go by after our dinner at malfoy manor, and then we're back on the train to hogwarts. i sit with daphne, blaise, and draco in a compartment. none of us have seen pansy yet but we aren't looking forward to when we do, for draco's sake.

"you really didn't write her all break?" blaise says

"nope" draco shakes his head

"good way to cut her off mate" blaise laughs, patting draco on the shoulder

"you're disgusting blaise" i roll my eyes, leaning back in the seat and stretching out my legs, putting them on the seat between blaise and draco. blaise just shrugs, grabbing a chocolate frog and unwrapping it.

daphne taps me on the shoulder and i look over, seeing pansy walking past in the corridor. we see her glance over for a moment, looking as though she may enter, but when she sees draco she keeps walking.

"i'll be right back" i say, not waiting for a response before exiting the cabin, following pansy down the hall.

"hey pansy!" i yell after her, getting her to turn around, "you alright?" i say as i reach her in the hall. 

"i think i'm okay" she shrugs, "i just don't want to speak to him yet. honestly i don't want to talk about it at all. think it's better we just move past it like it didn't happen" i nod, "could you actually tell him that? i'd rather he'd not bring it up" she goes red in the face, looking down at her shoes.

"sure i can pans" i smile, "just let me know what you need"

"thanks" she smiles at me

"oh and thanks for chipping in for my christmas gift" i laugh, "plus draco wouldn't have known to get it had you not mentioned it"

"what do you mean?" she says, furrowing her brow

"the robe... that i tried on in gladrags" i say, even more confused than she is, "draco said you all contributed to get it for me for christmas"

she just sighs, "i don't have a clue what you're on about y/n. but if he had people chip in he sure didn't ask me" she says with a stern look on her face, turning on her heels and walking away.

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the rest of the train ride i'm wracking my brain, thinking of what pansy said. maybe draco really just didn't have her pay, but i'm thinking he's probably lying about the whole thing. i guess it doesn't matter really, but he could've just told me he bought it. i would've felt awful though, he shouldn't be spending that money on me. by the time we arrive at hogwarts, i still haven't decided if i ought to ask him about it or not.

when we arrive at school, we go into the great hall for dinner. the food is always especially good when we come back from christmas holiday. i sit between draco and blaise, while daphne and pansy sit across from us. crabbe is next to draco and goyle is across from him. we all just make small talk, mostly about what we did over break and what we got for christmas. when we list our gifts, i can see draco fiddling with the ring i got him, but he doesn't mention it to the others.

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on our walk to the common room, i walk in the front of the group with draco, whispering that pansy said she doesn't want to talk about him not writing her. he looks very happy that he's off the hook.

we're all pretty tired from the journey, so we spend very little time playing chess before going up to bed. daphne, pansy and i go over our schedules for this term, figuring what classes we have together. i have care of magical creatures first thing in the morning, which neither of them have until the afternoon. we all have second period free and then defense of the dark arts together third. then lunch, and i have another free period before my muggle studies class for 2 hours, which neither of them take at all. we all have charms and herbology together tuesday and thursday, and transfiguration friday mornings. i'll have to check the guys schedules during breakfast tomorrow. we all get out the books we will need for tomorrow and tuck into bed, chatting quietly as we all drift to sleep.

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during breakfast i learn i have care of magical creatures, defense against the dark arts, history of magic, astronomy, potions, and divination with draco. thats lot of classes for him to make fun of me in. him, blaise and i walk together to care of magical creatures at hagrids hut, draco complaining the whole time that he's still the teacher. today, we're studying flobberworms.

"okay class take a seat here" hagrid gestures across the grass, where he has small stones set out for us to sit upon, while he passes us each a flobberworm in the grass in front of us.

"these are vile" draco scrunches his face, moving backwards away from it.

"you're such a baby" i laugh, picking up the worm to exam it.

"now can anyone tell me what parts of a flobberworm are useful?" hagrid says, lifting his own up in the air.

i quickly raise my hand, as does hermione, but hagrid calls on her.

"the mucus of a flobberworm can be used to thicken potions" she says "it's most commonly used in the wiggenweld potion, herbicide potion, and the sleeping draught"

"i knew that" i mutter, resting my chin on my hand. draco snickers and i shoot him a glare, instantly shutting him up.

"very good miss granger!" hagrid bellows, "now today we will be feeding the flobberworms and then harvesting the mucus for professor snape"

we spend a while feeding cabbage to the worms, draco screaming every now and then that it's bite him

"oi!" draco yelps, "it's bitten me again" he flicks the worm

"they don't have teeth malfoy" i roll my eyes, continuing to feed mine. he huffs and puffs, going back to feeding his. blaise chuckles behind us.

it was a very boring hour of class, but by the end we have some vials of mucus, which hagrid collects to bring to snape. we all walk back up to the castle together, and i meet pansy and daphne in the common room for our free period. i tell them about class, and we all make fun of draco's whininess.

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"now next saturday we're playing against ravenclaw" flint circles around the team, "shouldn't be too hard, but we've had two weeks of break and need to regroup" he picks up his broom, "practice everyday this week, right after class"

"oh c'mon flint" graham montague throws his broom down

"look i've gotten the match against gryffindor moved back. said it was cause of malfoy's arm" draco smirks, looking down at his old cast he put back on, "but we need to take all that time to practice and get ready. no exceptions. now brooms up, let's play"

he mounts his broom, soaring into the sky. we all follow suit, except for draco, who's playing the role of injured seeker quite well. we practice for a while, flint keeps switching out me and miles bletchley as keeper. finally, we all soar back to the ground, out of breath and ready to go to dinner.

"before you all leave, let me give you your positions for next game" we all stop in our tracks, flint doesn't change out players that often, "me, montague, and warrington will do chaser... hmm uh derrick and bole, beaters. malfoy you'll be good to play next week right?" draco nods, "good. and for keeper we'll do y/l/n" he nods, "any complaints"

miles starts to open his mouth, but flint holds up his hand, "okay great. everyone better be back here tomorrow. miss practice and you're off" he turns away, "and someone put aways the balls!" he yells, walking off the field with the other older guys, leaving draco and i to clean up the pitch.

"congrats" draco says, this is the first game where i'm in the starting lineup, not just put in as a sub, "you're gonna do great"

"thanks" i smile, "i think bletchley might poison my soup tonight" draco chuckles as we finish putting the crates away. we walk back to the castle together, then separating to get cleaned up for dinner.

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	14. Chapter 14

the next week is gruelling, but totally worth it. we end up beating ravenclaw, narrowly. we would've done better in flint didn't keep hitting people off they're brooms and getting us penalties. the common room is filled with music and laughing that night, everyone excited that we're closer to winning the cup. the team all showers and gets changed out of our uniforms before joining the party.

"you were incredible y/n" daphne runs up to me as i come down from the dorms, giving me a hug.

"oh please it was nothing" i laugh and she raises her eyebrow, "ok ok i did to pretty well" she smiles, hugging me again.

"that last save was brilliant!" blaise runs over to me, patting me on the back. i thank him, although i'm looking past him to draco, who's surrounding by a group of girls complimenting how he caught the snitch.

"excuse me" i whisper to my friends, walking past them over to draco.

"hey" i yell to him over the noise, he turns, noticing me and then walking past the crowd around him, coming up to me, "fantastic catch" i smile, hitting him in the shoulder

"you did all right too" he smirks, "you know, for a rookie" i roll my eyes

"you're getting quite a lot of attention" i nod towards the group of girls behind him, who are still turning to look at him every now and then

"it's whatever" he shrugs, although i know he's probably eating this up.

soon it's over an hour past curfew, and the prefects finally get us all to settle down and go to bed, although the whole dorm stays up talking forever. they mostly talk about who they think the most attractive guy on our team is, although i keep ruining their fun by reminding them how awful their personalities off the field are.

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"so what i'm thinking is we dress up in all black, storm onto the field, and scare the living daylights out of him" draco says to the guys as we eat dinner, a week after our victory over ravenclaw. they're up against gryffindor next, in a couple weeks, and draco has been scheming all week how to throw potter off his game.

"i'm in" crabbe and goyle say

"i'm all set" blaise shakes his head, putting his drink down

i nod, "good move blaise" blaise smiles and draco glares at me, "what! you're just going to lose us points. you know they all love potter. any prank against him is gonna seriously hurt us"

"she's right" blaise says, looking over at draco

"fine. i'll just get flint to do it instead of you" he scowls, shaking his head at blaise and standing up, walking down the table towards the seventh years to talk to marcus.

"i think it's a great plan" goyle sneers

"yeah well you're an idiot" daphne reminds him, and we all chuckle. goyle frowns slightly, continuing to eat his food.

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a couple weeks of classes pass, nothing super interesting. draco says that he noticed potter having secret meetings with lupin, he's obsessed with trying to figure out what they're doing. i tell him to leave it alone, and he ends up losing interest by the end of the week.

before i know it, it's time for the gryffindor v. ravenclaw match. at breakfast, i try and convince draco one more time not to mess with potter, but he can't be persuaded. i throw on my scarf and hat, getting up with blaise and walking to the stands.

"he's gone mad" i mutter, "i mean he's always been crazy when it comes to potter but there's no need for this"

"hopefully they can run off the field before the professors realize who it is" blaise says, handing me his popcorn as we sit next to each other in the stands.

"oh please" i scoff, "dressing up as dementors to scare harry? only a slytherin would do that" blaise nods in agreement, knowing i'm right. we sit anxiously the whole game, constantly looking to see if we can spot draco, crabbe, goyle, and flint. as the snitch flicks through the field for the third time, i see the curtains in the back left corner peak opening, seeing a flash of draco's bright hair.

"there they are" i point down, and blaise looks over just in time to see the four of them emerge in their dementor costumes. just as potter dives down, he notices them, and i can see his face turn white.

"oh no" i whisper, seeing harry pull his wand out of his pocket and yell expecto patronum, knocking over the four boys as he flies past them, managing to catch the snitch in the process. he goes tumbling onto the field as the gryffindors all stand, cheering potter's name.

i can't help but laugh as snape storms the field, lift the four boys up, revealing their faces and pulling them off the field.

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"so not only did gryffindor still win, you managed to lose slytherin 50 points" i say in defeat, falling back onto the common room couch next to pansy as draco explains to us what snape said.

"the look on potter's face was worth it" he snickers, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

"i would disagree" pansy rolls her eyes, pulling out her transfiguration book

"i'm with pansy" i smirk at draco, who only glares in return. pansy and i ignore him for most of the night as we try and study for our upcoming exam. blaise comes and joins us, and after my chatting with him for a few minutes, draco groans and leaves the room, going up to the dorms.

"what's up with him?" blaise asks

"he's just pissed his stupid prank backfired" i shrug, "he'll get over it" blaise and pansy laugh, and we spend the rest of the evening studying before going to sleep, planning to go to the library the next morning to finish our defense against the dark arts papers.

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"did you guys hear?" i burst into the common room, coming back from breakfast

"what is it?" daphne stands, looking worried. she's on the couches with the rest of our group, they hadn't come to breakfast yet when i overheard the gryffindors chatting frantically. hermione filled me in on what happened.

"the gryffindor common room" i say, out of breath, "it was attacked last night. scratches all over the entrance, the lady in their painting went missing too"

"pricks finally got what they deserved" draco chuckles, and crabbe and goyle give him high fives

"seriously malfoy show some respect" i hit him in the back of the head lightly, walking around the back of the couch to sit down on the table "what if it had been our common room!"

"then that would've sucked" draco frowns, "but it was theirs. and that is hilarious"

i sigh, knowing there's no reasoning with him. i spin around on the table, facing blaise, pansy, and daphne, "they think it's... black"

"black?" draco says. i turn over my shoulder to see him standing up

"yeah?" i say, surprised by his sudden interest. he clears his throat and sits back down, "anyways, if he's in the castle we might be sent home. clearly the dementors aren't doing a very good job detecting him"

we all theorize what black could be after, when i turn to draco, i see that he's gotten up. walking out of the common room just as i look back. daphne starts to stand, "i'll go after him" i say as i stop her, standing up and walking towards the door

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"malfoy!" i shout, catching up to him at the end of the hall. he turns around, sighing as he notices me, "are you alright?"

"just off to the mail room" he says shortly, turning back around and continuing to walk away

"why not just send it at breakfast tomorrow"

"i need to ask my mother something" he says, not turning back to look at me. i jog forward, catching up to walk next to him

"is it about black?" he nods slightly

"he's my mother cousin" he says, whispering as another group of students walk past, "not really part of the family, ran away to live with potter's father, but she'll want to know that he might've been here"

i nod, walking up with him to the mail room and sitting with him while he writes. i tell him to write that i say hi and he laughs, but writes it down nonetheless. he sends the letter off and then we run back downstairs, taking a path past the gryffindor common room. sure enough, the painting is torn up. we give each other a worried glance before continuing down, into the dungeons.

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	15. Chapter 15

by sunday, a troll is stationed outside of the gryffindor common room, and curfew is moved up to 9 pm. first years aren't allowed out on the grounds after dinner. with all of the tightened security, everyone has been pretty bummed out the past few days.

"did your mum write you back" i say to draco as we study together in the library. we're studying fire salamanders first period tomorrow, and need to know what to feed them, uses of their blood, and common disease they're affected by, by the start of class.

"yeah she says hi" he continues flipping through his books, "wants to have you back during the summer break. said not to worry about" he looks up, checking that no one is near, "sirius. thinks he's after potter"

"well don't you think you should tell someone that?" i put down my book, turning to face him.

"i'm sure it'll be fine" he shrugs, "potter's got the whole school looking after him. even black won't be able to get to him"

i nod, seeing his point. we return to studying, and soon enough we have all of the answers we need for class tomorrow

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"okay kids partner up. get out 'yer papers and write down the answers to the questions i asked ya last week" hagrid walks around the yard between the makeshift desks he's set out for us, mostly made of tree stumps and bark. 

"y/n you wanna be partners?" i hear blaise over my shoulder

"sorry blaise, i had planned to go with draco" i frown and turn away from him, "next time, i promise" blaise smiles and goes with a slytherin girl i don't know very well, millicent, as i walk over to where draco's already seated

"what'd he want" draco says as he begins to write down the answers

"asked me to be his partner" i shrug, sitting down

"you told him no, then?" he looks up at me

"well obviously" i laugh, "i am sitting with you aren't i?"

draco nods, a small red tinge appearing on his cheeks as he looks back down at the paper, finishing the last sentence

for salamanders to survive outside of their flame feed them: pepper 

salamander blood has: regenerative properties, used in potions

salamander's often suffer from: scale rot, causes them to lose their tail

i nod as he has me check what he wrote, before i raise my hand. hagrid comes and collects our sheet, nodding with a smile on his face as he tells us all of our answers are correct

"thank you professor" i smile, draco only mutters something under his breath, but i think it's a thank you

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"turn to page 394" professor snape drawls from the front of the classroom. he's just burst in and shut all of the blinds in our defense against the dark arts class. i try to catch draco's attention, who's sitting one desk in front of me across the aisle, to see if he knows what's going on, but he doesn't look back. i'm sitting with pansy, who i give a questioning look to. she just shrugs and opens her book, so i do to.

"excuse me sir" i hear harry from the front of the class, "where's professor lupin" glad someone asked, i think to myself, before thanking god i wasn't the one who did when i see snape glaring at potter.

"that's not really your concern, is it potter?" draco chuckles a little at snape's response, "it's suffice to say that your professor finds himself incapable of teaching at the present time. turn to page 394" snape says again as he reaches the projector a the back of the classroom. i look up at harry, annoyed he hasn't opened his book yet. he always gets snape so worked up, usually ruining the mood for the entire class.

i look down at my book, seeing the title of the page. werewolves?

"but sir, we've just begun learning about weed-caps and hinkypunks. we're not meant to start nocturnal beasts for weeks" hermione says from next to harry, although i swear she wasn't there a moment ago. she's saying just what i'm thinking, it's an odd subject for snape to choose as a substitute.

"now which one of you can tell me the difference between an animagus and a werewolf?" professor says as he walks back to the front. hermione's hand immediately shoots up into the air.

"no one? how disappointing" i almost shout out that hermione's hand is up, but then think better of it. however, she answers anyways, and i can see snape growing angrier with every sentence she spits out.

"....furthermore, a werewolf only responds to the call of its own kind" she finishes, and just as she does draco imitates the howl loudly, looking over at crabbe and laughing. pansy and i chuckle slightly, and he looks over to us, almost checking to make sure we found it funny.

"he really is quite annoying sometimes" pansy whispers

"i never quite got why you fancied him" i smirk and she hits my shoulder, laughing back at me. while we were distracted, snape was lecturing hermione about speaking when not spoken to, one of his classic rants. although he goes a step further this time, taking 5 points from gryffindor. i hear malfoy snicker, and almost laugh myself, but stop at the last second.

as snape's backs turned, i begin to flip through my textbook when i hear a small flapping by my ear, and look up to see a paper bird flying in front of me. i open my hands and it lands. looking around, i try and identify the sender, but everyone's looking down at their books or up at snape. i check next to me for pansy, but she's not looking, so i unfold the bird and read the note inside.

looks as though we're back in the lead for house cup. told you the prank wouldn't hurt us too badly, they're always losing points for gryffindor.

meet me in the library after dinner?

i look to the side towards draco, seeing him looking back at me. he raises his eyebrows, almost to say "well?" i nod quickly, making sure snape isn't looking, and draco smiles, looking back down at his books.

"what's that?" pansy says, and i realize the paper's still in my hand

"just scrap" i say, crumpling the paper and flicking it to the trash with my wand, "it was on the floor" pansy nods nicely... i do hate lying to her sometimes, but i don't think she would like to hear about draco passing me notes in class, so i keep it to myself.

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snape assigns us two rows of parchment on the werewolf, due by monday, which is an awful lot considering there's quidditch matches this weekend. on the way out of class i bump into hermione, as she drops one of her books, "oh i'm sorry" she says, backing up and picking up her things.

"that's alright" i shrug, helping her get the last of the contents that spilled from her bag, "i'm sorry about what happened in there, snape shouldn't have been so harsh"

she laughs, "i think we all get used to it" she nods to the boys as harry and ron come up behind her

"hey y/n-" harry starts to say before another voice shouts over him

"y/n?" i look past harry's head to see draco standing a little further down the hall, "you coming to lunch?"

i sigh, "that's my que" i chuckle a little, "i'll catch up with you guys later" they all say bye to me with a smile as we walk our separate ways. draco's standing still waiting for me, so i take my time and walk at a normal pace, letting him wait longer since he was rude and interrupted.

"what were you doing talking to them?" he scowls

"unlike you, people outside of slytherin like me" i spit, "they're my friends, draco"

he scoffs, "friends? y/n y/l/n friends with three gryffindors? i remember you used to be a more loyal slytherin"

"yeah well some of us decided to grow up" i roll my eyes, hitting his shoulder slightly as i quicken my pace, catching up to pansy and crabbe who were walking just in front of us. i hear draco groan behind me, picking up his pace slightly to trail right behind us, only walking next to me once we enter the great hall and sit at the slytherin table.

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	16. Chapter 16

after lunch i go to the library for my free period, before going to muggle studies. no other slytherin's take that course, unsurprisingly, so i sit with hermione during that class.

"draco's really got you on a tight leash hasn't he" she laughs slightly, referring to him calling me away from her, ron, and harry earlier

i shrug, "i know his limits, but sometimes it's just better not to argue with him" i look at her, "the boy has.... reasons for being the way he is" obviously i don't want to tell her about how draco's dad treats him, but i figure that has a lot to do with how he treats everyone at school.

"of course" hermione sighs as she opens her book, "i just wish we weren't the target of so much of his hatred"

"me too" i laugh, "i do try and talk him out of things, i swear, he's just quite stubborn"

hermione nods as our professor walks in, so we drop the topic of draco and focus on class. after two hours of learning about various muggle customs (most of which hermione has to help me understand.. obviously she knows it all already, i think she just takes the class to earn more credits), we head out to dinner together.

when hermione and i walk into the great hall together, i can see heads turn from both the gryffindor and slytherin table.

"well i don't think you're the only one who's going to get yelled at by their friends this time" hermione laughs as she walks away from me, over towards her table. i can see dean and seamus whispering frantically to her, still looking at me as i walk over to sit by daphne.

"you're lucky draco hasn't come down yet" she comments, "he would be furious with you"

"he'll have to get used to it" i place down my bag as food magically appears on my plate, "none of you say a word though" i eye blaise and goyle, sitting across the table from me. they nod quickly, looking back down at their food.

"hi guys" draco says as he enters, pushing goyle and blaise aside so he sits directly across from me, "what have i missed"

"nothing" we all say in unison. draco furrows his brow for a moment and then shrugs, beginning to eat his food. he eats rather quickly and doesn't engage in our conversations, before getting up and walking out of the room. the second he's out of earshot, everyone turns towards me.

"did you say anything to him earlier?" blaise says in an accusatory tone

"why's it always my fault if he's upset?" i counter back

"because it usually is" daphne shrugs, "he never gets that pissy when one of us argues with him"

blaise nods just as pansy comes and sits down, "did you guys see draco? he just shoved past me in the hall"

"yeah i think he's still annoyed about me talking to potter earlier"

the table falls silent

"potter?" blaise laughs, "y/n you're dead meat"

"i wish you luck" pansy smirks, "one time i dropped my quill and harry picked it up for me. i don't think draco talked to me for a whole week after that" the table laughs, i'm sure she's exaggerating, although it does sound like something draco will do

"oh well" i shrug, "he'll learn to get over it" i say as i finish my last bite of food, "i'm off to study" i get up and they all say bye to me as i walk away from the table. i fiddle with the ring on my finger, wondering if draco stills means for me to meet him in the library, he did seem quite cross a moment ago. i stop in one of the girls lavatories and fix my hair a bit before deciding to walk to the library anyways. maybe alone draco will tell me what has him so upset.

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"hey malfoy" i say as i enter the back corner of the library, "what's gotten you so down in the dumps" i chuckle as i swing my bag down on the chair and sitting next to him on the couch.

"is anyone else still in here?" he asks, trying to peer around the nearest bookcase

"no everyone's down in the great hall" i stop laughing as i examine his serious expression, "really draco what's going on?" i say, more concerned now.

"you know how lupin wasn't in class today?" he looks back at me, placing his hands on his knees

"yeah?" i say, not understanding where this is going

"i have..." he hesitates, "a theory"

"oh boy" i laugh, resting my head against my hand, "okay, let's hear it then malfoy"

"you're going to call me crazy" he says, scratching the back of his neck

"you are crazy" he glares at me and i laugh, managing to get a smile on his face

"don't you find it odd that snape chose werewolves?" he blurts out

"well, actually yes-"

"so did i" he interrupts, "and i don't think it was any coincidence"

"what do you mean?" i criss cross my legs on the couch, turning to face him completely

"i think it has to do with lupin. i think..." he clears his throat, "well i think he might be one"

i can't help but burst out laughing, "now come on" i continue laughing, but draco stays silent, looking at me with a blank scare, "you can't be serious"

"i am!" he says, frustrated, "look, when i was trying to figure out what he was doing with potter after hours.. i saw something" i look up him, showing i'm actually listening, "after potter left, lupin went to this cabinet. it had all these vials in it, looked like all the same potion, and he drank one. werewolves have to take potions to suppress them from changing"

"so? that's just a wild guess as to what it is! you have no proof" i shrug

"that's why i dismissed it. by itself it's not much to worry about" he leans back against the arm of the couch, crossing his arms, "but do you remember what the boggart turned into when lupin jumped in front of potter?"

i search my mind for the memory, my mouth opening wide with realization when i remember. i see a smug smirk appear on draco's face as i whisper, "the full moon"

"exactly!" draco exclaims, i cover my mouth, not wanting to admit he might be right

"but..." i trail off

"so you agree? it makes sense right?" he says, leaning forward, eagerly awaiting my approval

"it does all seem to add up" i say hesitantly, "but it's not like we can say anything. it's quite the accusation to make if we're wrong"

he groans, "i think we ought to tell snape"

"well if your theories correct, snape already knows"

"can i write my father?"

"no draco! you mustn't tell anyone about this"

"why not" he whines, crossing his arms again, "i'm the one who's figured it out"

"it would be devastating for lupin's career"

"precisely. imagine the look on potter's face when he gets sacked-"

"you're really that selfish?" i scoff, "to get the best defense teacher we've had fired all to spite potter?"

"he's really not all that" draco shrugs

"well he's bounds ahead of lockhart"

"that's not that much of an accomplishment" draco snickers, and i can't help but let out a laugh.

"fair" i chuckle, "promise me, draco, you keep this to yourself unless you have actual evidence"

"fine" he says under his breath and i raise my eyebrow, "i promise" he says slowly, smirking slightly. i smile and nod.

"very good" i say while looking at the clock on the wall, "we've still got 30 minutes until curfew, will you quiz me on arthimacy?" i continue as i pull my notes out of my bag, "i've got a quiz tomorrow"

draco nods, taking my notes from me. he opens it to the pages i've marked, pulling his knees towards his chest and resting the notebook against his legs. we spend around 45 minutes studying before madam pince realizes we're still in the library, reprimanding us and ordering us back to our common rooms.

we spend the whole run back to the dungeons laughing together, ducking around corners and trying to avoid filch at all costs. he nearly spots us as we past the great hall, causing us to run even faster as his voice hollers after us. we get back to the common room out of breath, laughing and doubled over. we catch each other's eye and smile at each other.

"i'm never meeting you anywhere again malfoy" i say between deep breaths and laughter

"i told you if i got in trouble i was taking you down with me" he gives a small smirk and winks before straightening up, walking past me and into the boys dormitories. i stand still catching my breath, trying to take in what's just happened. i stare at the door swinging closed, draco disappearing behind it and take one last deep breath, biting my lip. i sigh before detaching my gaze from the empty doorway, turning on my heels and walking up to my own dorm, pushing the thoughts of draco out of my head.

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	17. Chapter 17

the only truly interesting thing that happens that next week is neville receiving a howler from his gran. it's awfully embarrassing. happened to ron last year when he crashed his parents car into the whomping willow. everyone dreads getting howlers, the whole great hall can hear.

on wednesday, however, lupin comes back to class. with some massive scratches on his face. draco looks back at me, making major "i told you so" eyes. i roll my eyes back at him, trying to get him to drop the subject. i don't want to believe he's right.... although his theory does make loads of sense.

by saturday, i've had enough of thinking about it, and am ready for a break.

we're allowed to go into hogsmeade this weekend, but the majority of our friend group have a major divination exam on monday, which they insist they spend the whole weekend studying for. i don't have my exam until friday, so i'm left to find people that will go into hogsmeade with me.

"well i can go" draco says to me, from diagonally across the table at breakfast, "i don't have the exam until friday either"

everyone looks between me and him, waiting for me to respond, "alright" i say, "thanks draco"

with that, the group goes back to their own conversations, daphne nudging me and smirking. one glare from me shuts her up though, and she goes back to whispering to pansy about how graham montague spoke to her in the common room last night.

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"are you ready to go yet" draco says from the other side of the dormitory door, "all the good stuff will be taken by the time we get there"

"don't get your knickers in a twist" i mock him as i open up the door, smiling widely. he just stands there, dumbfounded, "c'mon lets go" i walk past him, skipping down the stairs. i hear him chuckle behind me and follow me down the stairs and out toward the courtyard.

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"you look like an bloody idiot" i laugh as draco and i stand in gladrags wizardwear, him trying on various pointy hats

"shut up" he mutters, adjusting the cap to try and make it look better

"why do you need one of these again" i say as a look through the racks, trying to pick out a less flamboyant one for draco to try on

"we always have this dinner with the other governors after school ends. my mother says i have to wear 'proper wizard attire'" his voice gets high pitched as he mocks his mom, throwing off the cap and selecting another one

i chuckle as i place it on his head and it flops over his eyes, he glares at me and takes off the cap, "i think the second one you tried looks best"

he nods, picking the one i suggested back up and going to the cashier to buy it while i wait outside. i hear the door ring and draco comes and joins me, patting me on the shoulder, "want to go to the shrieking shack? i think i've figured a way in"

"no way" i shake my head, "that places creeps me out"

"pleaseee" he pouts and i finally give in, letting him drag me out of town towards the shack.

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when we arrive, we aren't alone.

ron stands by the fence, looking out at the shack.

"this is even better than i thought" draco sneers, picking up his pace to walk toward weasley. i sigh, jogging after him to try and hold him back.

"what're you doing, weasley?" draco shouts, getting ron to turn around. his face goes red instantly, "suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, weasley? dreaming about having your own bedroom? i heard your family all sleep in one room -- is that true?"

"draco stop" i say, seeing ron getting even more worked up, "let's go" i try and grab draco's arm but he pulls out of my grip, stepping closer to ron.

"i also heard that-" draco's cut off my a snowball hitting him right in the back of the head.

"what the --?" draco holds the back of his head, looking behind him at me. i shake my head, telling him i didn't throw it, and look back as well. but all that's behind us is trees, "what was that?" draco spins around, facing back to ron, "who did that?"

"very haunted up here, isn't it?" ron says between laughs. i chuckle slightly myself and draco turns, glaring at me so i stop laughing. just as i do, another two snowballs hit him in the head.

"it came from over there!" says draco, pointing frantically between two trees. i look at ron and then at draco, before running towards where he pointed. on my way over, i snowball hits me in the back. i spin around quickly, reaching my arms forward. somehow, i trip over what seems like nothing, and fall flat on my face.

"ow" i groan, rubbing the back on my neck.

"y/n look!" draco yells. i look up, seeing harry potter's head floating above me. i can hardly believe my eyes, before i feel a tug underneath me, almost like fabric is caught beneath me. whatever is caught comes loose, and harry's head disappears. i see footsteps retreating into the forest, and look to see ron retreating in the opposite direction.

"come on" draco's arm wraps around me, lifting me up. he drapes his arm around my shoulder, "we've got to tell someone potter's out here without a permission slip, and with what looks to be an invisibility cloak" i nod, letting draco walk me back up the hill as a lean against him, limping slightly from my fall.

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"professor!" draco shouts, running up behind snape in the hallway

"yes, malfoy?" he turns around, then seeing me elevating my sprained ankle, "oh miss y/l/n... are you alright?"

"it was potter professor" draco says, "in hogsmeade. we went to the shrieking shack and the young weasley boy was there, by himself. at least we thought he was. then we started getting pelted with snowballs out of nowhere. y/n went towards where they were coming from and tripped over nothing, that's why her ankles all.." he trails off, looking over at me before looking back at snape, "when she fell, potter's head came out above her, just floating there! it was only for a moment before he disappeared again, but he was there. i swear it!"

snape looks at me, raising his eyebrow, "it's true professor" i sigh, "i saw him"

snape nods, "i will see to it that potter is confronted" he crosses his arms, "malfoy bring miss y/l/n to madam pomfrey at once, i will deal with the boy"

he walks past us, leaving draco smiling widely. he helps me to the nurse, bragging the whole time about how he's finally bested potter, how he'll surely get expelled for this one. i just play along, feeling the slightest bit of guilt for playing any part in harry's demise. at least this time draco's actually telling the truth.

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that night at dinner, we all observe the large hourglasses that keep track of house points. all of us stare at gryffindors, trying to tell if any rubies are missing from potter's antics.

"nothing?!" draco exclaims, "i swear. potter could break every school rule and dumbledore would still cover for him" he shakes his head, "unbelievable" he mutters, taking a scoop of his pudding.

"i guess we don't have much proof" i shrug, "does suck they didn't at least lose points though"

everyone agrees. slytherin's have been furious at gryffindor every since potter arrived. we had a seven year winning streak, and now potter wins his house massive amounts of points every year, and manages to never get points taken away. draco scowls at his dessert for the rest of the evening, muttering to himself constantly as we all talk about our plans for the upcoming week.

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	18. Chapter 18

the next month is spent practicing for our quidditch match against gryffindor, which flint had set for the 16th of april, today's the 12th. he has us practicing everyday, barely giving us time to work on our schoolwork. after practice everyday, draco and i have to rush to change for dinner, and usually end up breaking curfew to finish our papers or study for exams. daphne continuously comments on how much time we spend together, but i insist it's mostly centered around quidditch. i don't have much choice but to see him.

"y/n!!" i hear shouting behind me in the hall on my way to charms class, i turn my head back, seeing blaise jogging down the hall.

"hey zabini" i smile as he reaches me

"hey" he smiles back, "did you finish the charms homework?" i nod, beginning to pull it out of my bag, but he stops me, "oh no.. i don't need it. i just wanted to make sure you were all caught up with quidditch"

"oh.. thanks blaise" i smile. that's nice of him.

"anytime" he smiles, walking in with me to class. i sit down with him, checking our answers for the homework against each others.

today we're working on the mending charm. we spend the class breaking apart quills and trying to put them back together, most of us having little success. by the end of class, blaise and i have a massive pile of broken quills, and only one we managed to fix.

"did you see hermione's?" blaise sighs as we walk out of class, "every single one of her's worked"

"there's a reason she's the top of our class" i shrug, laughing a little

"we should study" blaise nods, "library?" i raises his eyebrow

"i have history of magic right now, actually..." i say, looking down the hall i have to turn down, "but um.. well i have practice after and then..."

"that's alright" he shrugs, "another time" he gives a weak smile, continuing down the hall without me. i frown slightly before turning the corner and walking to my class.

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history of magic is everyone's least favorite class. professor binns is the only ghost teacher at hogwarts, and he manages to make history more boring than it already is. he speaks slowly, and in a monotone voice. after 10 minutes of class, both longbottom and seamus are slumped in their chairs, practically asleep.

"do you think if we walked out he would notice?" draco whispers to me from our seats at the back of the class

"probably not" i laugh.

"c'mon" draco grabs my arm, beginning to get up

"i was kidding" i say in a hushed tone, "sit down" i continue, staring at professor binns to make sure he hasn't noticed draco standing. draco shakes his head, backing towards the door. i look back at the professor, and than at draco, beckoning me to join him at the door. i sigh, quietly grabbing my bag and getting up. the rest of the class is either sleeping, or doing work from other classes, and binns is in his own little world, so it's easy for draco and i to slip out the door and into the hall.

"if we get caught i'm saying you threatened me" i say, following draco down the corridor reluctantly

"just admit you like spending time with me" draco smirks, looking back at me over his shoulder

"never" i smile slightly when he looks back forward, speeding up to walk next to him as we make our way to the common room.

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"i thought you had class?" blaise says as we enter the room. i look guiltily at draco, hoping he will explain.

"we cut" he shrugs, "just binns, he won't miss us" he sits down on the couch next to blaise

"i would've come study with you had i known draco would make us leave" i give blaise a small smile, sitting down on the couch across from them.

"no worries" he says shortly, looking down into his book

"well know we've got..." draco looks at the clock, "an hour until we have to leave for practice"

"we can study now?" i say, aiming my question to blaise

"great idea!" draco says, grabbing out a book, "i need your help with-"

"not you" i glare at him, "blaise?"

blaise looks up at me, almost in surprise, and then over to draco, who has a massive frown on his face, "um" he clears his throat, "sure" he closes his charms book, standing up, "the book we need is in the library"

"fantastic" i stand with him looking over at draco, "come along if you'd like?"

"i'm all set" he says with a straight face, opening his own book and settling in on the couch. i could try and convince him, but if he wants to be in a bad mood that's fine by me. i spend all day with him as it is, he can get on without me for an hour.

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that night, we have astronomy at midnight. i have to get up quietly to avoid waking the other girls in my dorm. i yawn as a pull on my robes and get out the door, almost screaming as i find draco waiting right outside.

"can't you wait downstairs like a normal person?" i hiss at him, he just smirks

"i was coming to get you, we're going to be late" he turns around, walking down the stairs. i'm not awake enough to think of a come back, so i just exhale loudly and follow him downstairs as we head off to astronomy.

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"this class is stupid" draco rolls his eyes, throwing his star map down on the floor

"you just say that because you're god awful at it" i laugh, holding up my own star map and drawing in the constellations i see. draco rolls his eyes, sitting down next to me and picking back up his map. i help him map the stars for the rest of class, he really is horrible at the subject. he's second in our class, the smartest boy i know, but he can barely tell the big dipper from leo's belt.

after class, we walk back through the empty corridors down to the dungeons, mostly in silence, until draco decides to break it.

"what's going on with you and blaise?" he says, looking down at his feet as we pass by the great hall.

in confusion, i reply, "what d'you mean?"

"you're spending more.. time" he pauses, almost trying to collect his thought, "together recently"

"i suppose" i shrug, "no more time than i spend with our other friends"

"our other friends are girls" he looks up at me, raising his eyebrows

"have you forgotten crabbe and goyle?" i chuckle

"they don't count" draco smirks, kicking at a loose pebble in the corridor

"i don't know what you're trying to get at, malfoy" i stop, stepping in front of him so he looks back at me, "but i have no reason for spending more time with blaise other than to study"

he waits a moment, seeming to process the information, and then simply says, "okay", and with a slight nod, continues on down the hallway.

i stare after him walking ahead of me down the dimly lit corridor, a million thoughts running through my head about how he's acting. he turns back and looks at me, "well hurry up then y/l/n" he waves me on, "even though we had class, filch won't appreciate us in the halls"

i nod quickly, jogging to catch up with him. we continue the rest of the journey in silence, only speaking to say goodbye once we are back in the common room.

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	19. Chapter 19

"you're going to do great" daphne reassures me at breakfast. i'm beside myself with nerves due to the match against gryffindor today.. which flint made me keeper for.

"i just don't understand why he didn't put in bletchley" i sigh, barely being able to finish my single piece of toast, "everything's riding on this game, and miles is far more experienced then-"

"stop getting in your head" draco cuts me off from across the table, a plate piled high with food sat in front of him, "the more nervous you get, the more likely you are to mess up"

"great advice, draco" pansy says sarcastically, then turning to me and trying to assist daphne in calming me down

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"now remember. the most important thing is to keep gryffindor from scoring" flint repeats the same speech he's been giving for weeks, "potter can catch the snitch perfectly, but if they're down by anymore than 50 points, they'll win the match.. but not the cup. got it?"

"got it" we all say in unison, bored with hearing him say this over and over. i'm sure oliver wood, the gryffindor captain, has figured this out as well, and will make sure harry doesn't go for the snitch unless their ahead of us by 50.

"are you sure y/l/n is ready to be put in again?" bletchley stands up, pointing down at me. i can feel myself turn a soft shade of pink as the team turns to me, "she looks a little under the weather"

"i'm feeling just fine, thank you" i stand up, facing bletchley with only a small bit of fear. he glares at me, sitting back on the bench and crossing his arms. i catch flint's eye and he gives me a nod of encouragement.

"we'll see about that" bletchley sneers, looking at the clock. 20 minutes until the game starts. i look nervously at draco, but he's preoccupied talking over the game plan with flint.

"what're you on ab..." i start to say, before trailing off, feeling an awful rumbling in my stomach, "oh no" i say, almost in a whisper, clutching around my abdomen. that seems to catch the team's attention, getting marcus and draco to look over at me.

"y/n?" i hear concern in draco's voice as he speeds over, placing a head on my back as i sit down, my whole midriff in immense pain, "what'd you do to her bletchley?" he says angrily, standing up and starting toward miles.

"must've been something she ate" he shrugs, a smirk across his face, "marcus" he shouts, getting flint to turn round again, "y/l/n looks as though she's about to spill her guts all over the locker room... better decide on who's better fit to guard those posts now"

marcus looks down at me, covering my mouth to stop myself from hurling, and contorts his face in disgust, "well miles....i- i guess you're in then" he sounds defeated, at least i know he's disappointed i can't play

"this is bullshit!" draco shouts, "can't you just delay the game a bit? send her to madam pomfrey? i'm sure she'll have her fixed in-"

"we've got bletchley malfoy, it'll work fine" flint says, "i better go alert them of the change in lineup" he adds, rushing out of the locker room with graham and cassius in tow.

"if i find any proof you did this to her-" draco starts, turning back to miles

"draco.." i say weakly, but quickly have to cover my mouth again

"proof?" miles laughs, "no chance. i'm not an idiot malfoy. i wouldn't leave anything behind"

"this isn't fair bletchley. marcus chose-"

"i don't care who marcus chose!" miles advances on draco, shoving him out of the way slightly, "true slytherins don't play fair. or maybe you've forgotten that since she's been in your ear" he says, gesturing towards me before leaving the locker room. i look up to draco, who's standing in the middle of the room. the beaters left during the fight, leaving draco and i alone.

draco looks at me, pain clearly drawn across his face.

"draco i'm-"

"don't" he interrupts, "let's just get you to the nurse" he walks over to me with a stern face, still breathing heavily from the argument with miles as he helps lift me from my seated position, carrying me out towards the nurses station on the pitch.

sure enough, madam pomfrey is quickly able to identify what potion has made me ill, and performs a counter-charm and i feel good as new. unfortunately, it's too late, and i'm alone in the locker room changing back into other clothes to head up to the stands.

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"what's happened?" blaise says as i join my group, sitting down between them

"bletchley slipped something in my breakfast... made me ill and now he's got my spot" i mutter, crossing my arms and leaning back against the stands.

"that's awful" pansy says, patting me on the shoulder. i give her a small smile.

just as she does, lee jordan begins announcing the gryffindor team. i join along with the slytherins, booing them and hollering for our own team over the rest of the crowds cheers.

"and here come the slytherin team, led by captain flint" lee continues, "looks as though he's made some changes to the lineup..." he says in confusion, "seems to be going for size rather than skill" i chuckle slightly, seeing miles face go red at the bottom of the field. both teams walk towards the center of the pitch, meeting with each other as marcus and oliver shakes hands firmly, staring each other down. on the sounds of madam hooch's whistle, all 12 players fly into the air, immediately zipping around the field.

it's not long before both teams have earned penalties. to gryffindor for flint purposefully knocking into the their chaser, angelina johnson, and to slytherin after one of the weasley twins wacked flint over the head with their beater's club. unfortunately for us, only gryffindor makes the penalty shot, leaving the score 20-0, in favor of them.

"i would've caught that" i mutter, watching as the ball soars past miles head and into the goal.

"i'm sure you would have" daphne says, although her head stays turned to the game, her eyes constantly following graham. glad we were watching him to, because he soars at another gryffindor chaser, katie bell, and grabs at her head rather than the quaffle, causing her to drop the ball right into flint's hands below her. that earns them another penalty shot, bringing the score to 30-0.

"if we played a half decent game maybe we would win for once" pansy says quite crossly, tossing a piece of popcorn up into her mouth.

finally, flint scores, giving us 10 points. our whole sections hollers, but it's short lived as our beater, lucian bole, hits alicia spinnet in the head, giving gryffindor another 10 points, as bletchley fails to block the fourth penalty shot.

"this is painful to watch" i cringe, putting my head down in my hands. i feel a hand rest on my shoulder, and look back to see blaise giving me a reassuring smile. i can't avoid returning the gesture, smiling back at him before looking again toward the game... where things continue to get worse and worse.

soon, the score is 60-10. i know if harry catches the snitch now, gryffindor will win the cup. i can see the snitch myself, only moment's before potter zooms towards it, draco not far behind. as harry turns is broom skyward, sprinting after the snitch, draco does the most idiotic thing imaginable.... he grabs on to the end of harry's broom.

"what is he doing?" i say, standing to try and get a better view. in a minute, draco releases and madam hooch is soaring up next to him, surely screaming at him for using such a crude tactic. not to my surprise, gryffindor is awarded another penalty shot, thankfully this one they miss, and montague scores the next goal, upping our score to 70-20.

the next minutes of the game are all fairly similar, draco and harry neck and neck, hitting into each other trying to locate the snitch. suddenly, harry veers off, headed straight towards the rest of the slytherin team to help scatter them away from angelina so she can score a goal, which she does. but i kept my focus on draco, noticing what he must be noticing too.

the golden snitch.

draco soars towards it, now free from potter hitting at him every second. by the time potter notices the snitch, draco is miles ahead of him. he's going to get it, i think to myself, willing draco to move as quickly as possible. but his broom is just no match for harry's firebolt. potter gains speed at a feverish rate, soon coming right next to draco. i watch anxiously as harry practically leaps forward off of his broom, knocking draco sideways and diving forward, catching the snitch in his hands.

the whole slytherin sections groans in unison, i think i see a few people shed tears as the gryffindor stands erupt in cheers, screaming "we've won the cup! we've won the cup"

i watch as the slytherin teams retreats into the locker rooms, defeat clear on their faces.

the final score was 230-20.

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	20. Chapter 20

"what potion is highly explosive when touched by an outside force?"

"theeee... erumpent potion?" i say, waiting to see what blaise responds

"correct!" he smiles, "okay what is the use of the pepperup potion?"

"relieves cold symptoms"

"amazing!" he exclaims, closing my notebook, "you're going to do just fine on the final exam"

"i'm more nervous for the practical" i say, taking back my book and flipping through the list of ingredients, trying to remember what each item adds to a potion

"it'll be fine" he shrugs, taking out the charms textbook, "my turn now!"

i take the textbook from him, flipping through the pages and quizzing him on the spells we've learned this term. draco has been acting odd ever since the quidditch match over a month ago, seems that what bletchley said to him really got under his skin. i've had to spend more time studying with blaise rather than malfoy, seeing as he's withdrawn from spending loads of time with me. with finals in a week, i can't stress over draco. i need to focus on getting good marks.

"lumos maxima!" blaise says, the end of his wand lighting up

"very good!" i smile, "flitwick will be impressed"

we finish up studying and then walk to the great hall together, talking about our plans for over the summer.

"we'll probably go to geneva" blaise says casually, "usually go around mid-summer. and you?"

i chuckle a little, "nothing as grand as that. probably will just stay around the house" blaise nods, "you should visit" i add, "you know, when you're not in geneva. i usually have daphne and pansy over at some point during break"

"yeah" blaise smiles a little, looking down at his feet, "that would be nice"

we end our conversation as we enter the great hall, joining our friends at the table.

"any success studying?" pansy says as we sit down

"i'll pass" blaise says, "no guarantees on y/n though, she's a right mess in transfiguration" he elbows me and i laugh, hitting his arm away

"he's lying" i smile, holding back blaise's arm and turning to pansy, "i have better marks them him in that class" blaise rolls his eyes, leaving me alone and turning to his food. i look at daphne and pansy with a wide smile on my face, and both of them raise their eyebrows, "i'll tell you later" i mouth to both of them, and they nod, giggling as they return to their plates. i look further down the table, seeing draco with the rest of the quidditch team, along with crabbe and goyle.

"is he still not speaking to you?" daphne says, following my line of sight

"barely" i mutter, "team thinks he's gone soft by becoming friends with me" i stab at my chicken with my fork, "and lord knows malfoy cares more about his reputation than speaking to me"

daphne and pansy both sigh, giving me looks of pity. i tear my gaze away from draco, sighing and eating my lunch.

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"sooooo?" daphne says once we're back in our dorm. we all studied together and ate dinner, before parting with blaise and heading to sleep.

"he said 'that would be nice'" i smile, relaying to them my asking blaise to visit this summer

"he definitely has a crush on you" pansy says, "clearly was flirting with you at lunch"

"i don't know" i sigh, "i wouldn't want to assume..."

"oh please" daphne rolls her eyes, "he spends every free moment with you"

"i guess" i say, my smile growing wider as my cheeks flush red, "we'll see"

daphne and pansy exchange a knowing glance, letting go of the subject as we all fall asleep.

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monday we have our transfiguration exam first thing in the morning, where we have to turn a teapot into a tortoise. the majority of us, including myself, do magnificently.... although neville's ends up still having a handle and release steam everytime it breaths. our charms exam that afternoon is on cheering charms.

we have three exams tuesday: care of magical creatures, potions, and astronomy. all which i have with draco. he only interacts with me on the walk to astronomy, as the exams at midnight and we run into each other in the common room.

our history of magic and herbology exams on wednesday go excellently, as well as the defense and divination exams on thursday. thursday the school is sent into a frenzy, as that evening sirius black is found on the grounds. the story is unclear, but it seems as though potter and his friends were the ones who found him. the next day, i see lupin in the halls, scratched up rather badly. he ends up resigning, turns out he was a werewolf. i pass draco in the halls and almost congratulate him on his correct prediction, but think better of it when he becomes surrounded by the quidditch team.

after a long week, i'm glad to be done with all of the testing. the last week of school is spent celebrating and stressing over exam grades, which we receive the next friday. i received excellent marks on all my classes, as do my friends. we have a brilliant end of year feast, and travel home on the hogwarts express the next day.

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"oh it's so good to see you" my father smiles as i hop off the train, embracing me in a warm hug.

"hi dad" i smile, hugging him back as i drop my things.

"thank goodness you're back!" my mum says from behind me, holding onto my shoulders as i turn away from my dad, "i had quite the fright when i heard all this business about black"

"if that potter boy wasn't at the school black would've never-"

"now marcus you must not blame this all on him" my mum sighs, giving a disapproving look to my father, "he's only a child"

my dad grunts a little as he picks up my suitcases, not bothering to try and argue with mum. she looks down at me with a weak smile, hugging me tightly and kissing my forehead before saying, "come on, best be following him home" she takes my hand as i shout goodbye to my friends, walking away from them on the platform. my father apparates us back home, and i'm left back in this big empty manor by myself for the summer, contemplating how long to wait before i write my friends.

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End file.
